Black Market Animagus
by Anubis Enfield
Summary: I'm not facing the woman anymore. I'm facing the creature. Or what her mind has conjured up. "I'm not here to hurt you." Past grudges weren't going to play any part on whether he saved a magical creature or not, and she was no different. (NewtxOC)
1. Chapter 1

**Watched both movies far later than the world, but got curious. And _yes_, I looked up stuff about animagus and this is impossible in the Harry Potter World, but that's what fanfiction's about. Breaking rules :P**

**Warning:** **Mentions of** **torture and... wizard discrimination, I guess?**

* * *

I shifted, wincing as the bruises and injury on my side ached when I did. I was slightly hunched over, and chains rattled around my wrists as I glared darkly at the legs of men passing by. I had been waiting for my chance for a long time, and this seemed to finally be it. _The auction is in a little less than an hour. They have to let me go and give me my wand if they want me to try and change. I can do it without, but they don't need to know that. No one would buy me otherwise. People don't want to get in trouble for human trafficking, but black-market animal sales are something entirely different._ I grit my teeth, before letting it out through my nose softly. _No. Don't be impatient. It's nearly time. Just have to wait._ I folded my arms over my chest and sank back against the bars of the too-small cage I was in, closing my eyes for the wait. _Just a little longer and I'll be out of here._

* * *

Newt Scamander shifted uneasily on the large passenger boat, giving glances every so often to the wealthy people he saw heading downstairs to a lower section of the boat; flashing IDs at a guard. He'd heard about there being a possible auction on the ship of a number of rare and magical creatures. He'd been hoping he was wrong but this time, he obviously wasn't so lucky. Taking a deep breath, he shifted away and made for another section of the boat. _If there _are_ creatures here, they wouldn't be kept where people would see them. I'll have to check the lower decks. Thankfully, I've been there before._ He slipped his wand out and apparated to the door just outside the basement of the boat, double-checking that no one was around. With a whispered spell under his breath, he aimed his wand at the lock, though it didn't budge.

He winced, wondering how he hadn't expected protective charms over what might be a huge gathering of magical creatures. _But, if I'm lucky…_ He attempted to apparate into the cargo hold and grinned when he appeared inside. _No Anti-Apparition spells. Perfect._ He was quick to notice the cages and complaints of the creature trapped inside, lifting the blanket covering one cage and feeling his heart ache for the small Augurey trapped inside. It was slim, sickly, and had feathers missing in large patches.

"Don't worry, old boy. I'll get you safe. I promise," he murmured as the bird cooed softly.

He pulled out his wand and went about opening cages, coercing the various rare creatures into his suitcase while keeping an ear out for anyone coming down. He reached an empty cage though, feeling his blood go cold. _There's one more. Upstairs for auction. Medium size, injured. Do I… Do I wait? No. I can't. I'll get caught here once they notice the other empty cages. I'll have to come back. Their guard will be up, but it will be my only chance._ He hastily used his wand to end up in a corridor upstairs, letting out a soft sigh of relief and planning to return to his room for now, when he heard a sudden commotion. One look sent his blood racing as white scales whipped around the corner and charged right at him. He dove out of the way and into a perpendicular hall, using an invisibility spell as the beast ran right past to a dead end.

_Is that… a dragon?_ The creature let out a whine of frustration, turning quickly and seeming to look right at Newt's hiding place for a moment, blue eyes staring cautiously. _I've never heard of one like this. It could be an Antipodean Opaleye, but they're pupil-less. _It growled then, as men ran past Newt's hiding place and aimed wands, weapons, and chains at the creature. A single man stepped through the center of the group with a smirk.

"Now, now. Is this any way to act?"

Newt's brows furrowed. _Is he… talking to it?_ The dragon growled deeply. _And why isn't it using its fire?_ The man nodded to one of his men who raised his wand and sent an attack at the creature. It flailed and screeched, slamming its tail against the wall with nowhere to go.

"Come on, _speak_," the man demanded, and the dragon finally turned to face him with a hiss.

"You rat-eyed snake," it spat, tongue flicking in distaste.

The man huffed. "That's not very nice, you know. I could have done a lot of things if I wanted, but I held back."

"You just don't want damaged goods," the dragon snarled, taking a menacing step forward as the other men did the same.

The man just sighed, waving a hand. "Get her back in the cage and throw the body overboard. I've got to cover this mess up."

The men charged forward, and Newt clenched his eyes shut, gripping his case tightly. There was nothing he could do as the dragon was hauled downstairs once more, but a plan had formed in his mind. He _would_ get the dragon out of there. He had to.

* * *

I bit back cries of pain as the lightning magic from the man's wand snapped against my back like a whip.

"Where did they go! Where the hell did my creatures go!"

"I don't know!" I shouted in return, panting as the chains holding me up over a pipe dug into my wrists. "I was upstairs with your damn rich bastards. How the hell would I know where they went?" I pulled against my chain, leaning towards the man with a growl. "And they're not _your_ creatures."

His wand snapped up, pressing dangerously into my jugular, but I didn't even flinch. _He wouldn't kill me. Especially now that he has nothing left._

"Don't test me, you overgrown lizard," he growled back, taking a step away and flicking his wand. "Crucio."

I flailed in agony, writhing in my chains until he stopped the curse, leaving me half conscious and just as furious as before. _B-Bastard. When I get out of here… I'll sick the Death Eaters on him._ He just gave me a cold look and walked out, leaving me hanging there with the untold threat of more torture should he not find any signs of the creatures that had vanished. _But where could they have gone? They were here and…_ I glanced at the small cage closest to mine. _Hope Jarvey is all right. I was finally getting somewhere with him._ I sighed and closed my eyes, possibly blacking out for a moment, because suddenly someone was messing with my chains and I snapped my eyes open in preparation to struggle.

"Sh!" The man shushed me, struggling with the chains for a moment before putting down his suitcase and pulling out a wand.

I jerked away from him, eyeing the wand with the smallest ounce of fear and caution and he paused. Blue eyes seemed to read me like a book and he held his free hand up.

"I only want to help. I promise."

"A lot of people have promised me help before," I grumbled. "Nothing good ever comes of it."

He looked down but quickly raised his gaze again. "I'm not like them." He flicked his wand at the chains, releasing me and I landed on the ground with far more grace than I thought possible in the pain I was in. _He's… taller than me,_ I mused, eyeing him from perhaps an inch below him. _Skittish, but… there's something about him. A… hidden power or strength._

"We need to get out of here before they come back," I muttered.

"Right. Yes. Just, um… one thing."

I frowned at him as he gestured to my cage.

"Do you happen to know what was in there?"

"Yes."

He perked up. "Would you mind helping me find it?"

I bristled. "What for?"

He sensed my agitation. "To help. I would be rather thrilled if I could help it escape with the others."

My body relaxed. "You have them?"

He nodded, picking up his suitcase and lightly patting it. "Safely in here. I was hoping to relocate them somewhere safer, out of the way of Muggles and… and people like the man attempting to sell them."

"You… care for them?"

He slowly bobbed his head again with a small smile. "Yes. I'm actually writing a book about magical creatures. I've been traveling to gather information. I hope to show people that they don't need to hunt them, just better understand—"

I perked up then, head whipping around towards a back door. "We need to go. _Now_."

"But the creature—"

"Is already on its way out," I cut him off, pushing him towards the door.

"Where are we going, exactly?"

"The ship decks. I need space."

"Space? For what?"

I groaned as we slipped through a corridor up the stairs. "Do you _always_ ask so many questions?"

"Sorry."

"No, it's not…" I sighed softly, unable to help but feel a little guilty for upsetting him. "I just think we should worry about the problems directly ahead of us, before dealing with the rest."

"Right. You're quite right… But surely, it wasn't the dragon."

I resisted a wince, knowing that's exactly what it was. He'd seemed to figure out something wasn't adding up too.

"But… I never saw a cage large enough for it, and I've never heard of a talking one. The species was questionable too. The scales suggest—"

"Move!" I hollered, grabbing his elbow and pulling him as I spotted some of the men who assisted the head dealer down below.

They shouted after us and I groaned as we hurried up the stairs, grimacing. _The stitches they put in were terrible and they've torn._ We finally made it to the upper decks and I shut the door behind us, leaning heavily up against it.

"What I wouldn't give to have my damn wand," I grumbled, catching his attention once more.

"You're a wizard?"

"Witch, thanks," I hummed. "Know I don't look it. Never have, really. Bit more of an outdoorsy type, but… Oh, you've got me rambling when we have no _time._"

"And now you have even less time than before," a familiar voice cut in and we both whipped around; myself growling. "Hello again, Lux. Who's your friend? The one you connived with to abduct my creatures?"

"I _told_ you, they were never your creatures."

The man sighed. "Well, I never honestly expected to get you to understand business with all your 'save the creatures' talk. I suppose it's your ability that makes it so. Wonder if you would think the same if you weren't being hunted down like the rest of them."

"Lux, was it?" The man at my side breathed out. "What does he mean?"

The dealer, Abraham, grinned devilishly. "Oh, you haven't told him? Why not? Perhaps because he's a wizard?"

"Stay out of it," I snapped at the both of them.

"Or what?" Abraham challenged, drawing his wand. "You're powerless without your own wand."

_Oh, I really don't want to do this._ I grit my teeth, hesitating as more men joined Abraham with wands and weapons of their own.

"Come now. You're outnumbered. Outmatched, even with your friend. Perhaps we should just take him first, hm? I'm sure he'd be more willing to cooperate with the whereabouts of my creatures than you."

I remembered the pain of being tortured by the forbidden curse, the ache, and burning of his lightning whip. "No," I growled, reaching out and pushing the man behind me. "I won't let you touch him."

Abraham's grin widened. "I'd like to see you stop me."

Thunder rumbled as rain began to fall from the sky and my growl grew a little more menacing.

"Oh, I plan on it."

* * *

Newt stared in awe as the woman beside him shifted into the dragon he'd seen in the hallway before, except this time, much larger. It roared at the men, who shifted back in shock, even Abraham took a few steps back. Lux slammed a clawed hand into someone, knocking them overboard and crushing another with her tail without remorse. Curses and attacks were thrown at her, most bouncing off her near harmlessly, though a few stuck in her side, in her wings. _No…_ Newt breathed out, raising his own wand and attacking some of the men in return. Soon, all that was left was a struggling Abraham and he too was taken by the dragon's flames. Newt let out a small sigh of relief, but it drew the dragon's attention to him and he froze.

There was a cold fury in those blue eyes that demanded he not move as Lux growled. _This is more than just a transfiguration. She's… almost a werewolf. A were-dragon? No, that's impossible. She's lost herself though. I'm not facing the woman anymore. I'm facing the creature. Or what her mind has conjured up. She's psychologically unstable. I need to be very careful._ He slowly held up his hands as the dragon growled lowly. _Come on. I'm harmless. _Lux didn't back down though, and he realized then that he was still holding his wand, remembering how she'd reacted to it when he first pulled it out to help her. Slowly, he began to slip it into his pocket as the dragon watched his every move.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Lux," he said calmly, watching her for any sudden movement.

Slowly, she stopped growling, but still didn't come closer and he held out a hand.

"Come with me. I can hide you. Get you off this boat. Keep you safe."

She watched him and edged ever closer before she reared up with a cry of pain. She whipped around to see the half-burned Abraham holding a different wand up.

"Expulso!" He shouted, explosions slamming into Lux as she roared, then using a different spell that forced her to wail and swing her head around.

_The Conjunctivitis Curse_, Newt recognized, reaching for his own wand once more in an attempt to defend her.

"Avada—"

"Expelliarmus!" Newt shouted, snapping the man's wand out of his hand and catching it.

The second the man turned to him though, teeth came down on his figure and he was gone. Newt was a little bothered that Lux had eaten him, but as he watched the dragon squirm and thrash with cries of pain, a part of him knew that like any other creature he'd dealt with, she was only defending herself. The next problem was, calming her down. Abraham's spells had injured her and blinded her temporarily. He'd be able to treat her, but only if he could get to her first, and with the storm causing more noise around them than needed, he was running out of options. _She can't see me. She's scared and the thunder and rain makes it hard to hear me. She might try to run, fly. With her injuries though…_ He bit his bottom lip for a moment before trying to get closer, shouting over the noise of the rain.

"Lux! Lux, listen to me! You need to calm down! I-I know you're in pain, but he's gone! They're all gone!"

She wasn't listening, and Newt groaned when he spotted her wings starting to open up. _She's going. I can't let her go like this, but if I get her in my suitcase now, she'll cause more harm than good._ He grimaced at what he was about to do but knew it was his only option. He ran towards her, dodging flailing limbs and a swing of her tail, jumping on her back just as she started to get her wings to move. He secured his suitcase as best he could and held on for dear life as she suddenly took off and flew away from the boat. The rain pelted into his skin like icy needles and he slowly pulled himself further up the back of the dragon to get closer to where she could hear him.

"L-Lux! Lux, you're hurt! You can't be flying!"

A whine escaped her, and she started to pump her wings harder, angling the two of them up and cutting through the storm clouds. Newt let out a sigh of relief without the rain and used his wand to dry himself off before he could get chilled by the wind. He relaxed at the sight of the stars around them shimmering off the dragon's white scales like jewels. It had been a while since he'd flown and that was while on a hippogriff, not a dragon. _No, she's not even that, is she? I need answers, but first, I need her down and out of the sky. I need her treated and safe before she gets us both killed._ He reached down and lightly ran his hands over the scales on the side of her neck.

"Lux, please. You have to land."

He could already see her wings struggling with every flap. The blood that dripped steadily down the wound on her side and the tears that ran down her face from the curse placed upon her eyes.

"Do you need me to direct you?" He asked, hoping to get more than just grunts and whines from her. _Come on. I know you can speak like this._

"I can… smell," she eventually hissed, letting out a small noise of pain as she faltered in the sky. "T-There's land nearby… I can… make it."

Newt wasn't convinced but settled in for the ride. He must have dozed off slightly at some point, a drop in altitude jolting him back into awareness as he tightened his grip on his suitcase. Blinking away the haze in his eyes, he looked around to see the clouds just as they descended through them. Adrenaline spiked, and he leaned over to check on Lux, but what he saw didn't look good. Her head was lolling downward, and they were just gliding now; her being unable to flap her wings any longer.

"Lux? Lux, is there land?"

She didn't respond, making him wonder if she was even conscious and a grimace formed on his face as he looked out over the horizon. The sky was clearing from the storm and he thought he saw hills in the distance. He pat Lux's neck to try and rouse her.

"Lux. You just need to make it to shore. Can you do that? Lux?"

"…try," she breathed out with a hiss as she tried to give her wings a few last flaps.

Newt could tell it wasn't working. If they made it, it would be only just, and he prepared for a rough landing as best he could. Sure enough, Lux's wings gave out just before they reached the sand, dropping them into the ocean as waves tossed them about. Newt crawled onto the beach, coughing and hacking, checking his suitcase and ensuring it was all right before whipping around to check on Lux. She'd beached herself, but the waves lapped up towards her face, threatening to drown her if she didn't pull herself up just a little further. Newt scrambled to his feet and rushed over, tugging on her neck and patting her face despite the danger, hoping to get through to her.

"Lux! Lux, you need to move o-or change back. I can't help you like this."

A small whine escaped her, and Newt eyed her uncertainly, biting his bottom lip and dragging his suitcase over—opening it.

"Lux, I need you to come in here. I have a workshop with medicine to help you. I-I won't be able to join you right away, but only because I need to make sure my case is somewhere safe first. Can you not change back?"

"N-Not when wings… damaged."

He grimaced, seeing the tears and burns on her fragile wings and nodding as he went over, and she struggled onto her feet. "We'll have to be quick."

She didn't respond and slid into the case as best she could. He hastily checked on her—she obviously had a fever—and started to get an oculus potion going to help with her swollen, irritated eyes. As soon as it was done, he held the potion to her jaw, watching her drink it before eyeing the workshop uncertainly.

"I need to go now. I can't trust anyone to not come upon my case," he breathed out, giving her a look of concern.

She was unconscious though, making his worry grow as he cringed at the festering, half-stitched wound on her side. _I'll have to clean it, stitch it again, get clean bandages. It's possibly infected, which could be causing the fever._ Another glance at her injured wings made him softly sigh. _I can't do much about these. Treat the burns, use a healing salve to help speed up the process. She can't go out like this. Not until she can change back._ _Oh, what have I gotten myself into?_ He shook his head of the thought and bounded back up the ladder. _No sense in worrying about it now. I need to find an inn._

* * *

Newt shut the door to the room he'd found after discovering they were in Equatorial Guinea, ensuring it was locked before snapping open his case and heading down the ladder. It had been at least a days' worth of travel and he wasn't surprised to find Lux still in bad shape. He'd no choice but to come up with somewhere for her to rest out with his creatures before, which brought about a number of other concerns.

He carefully tended to her wings and prepared to deal with the injury on her side. It was definitely infected, and he dragged a hand down his face as he went back and forth between his workshop and her. It took a while, be he had soon done all that he could for her for now, leaving her to rest. What he didn't expect, was what he found a few days later when he checked up on her and dropped off a Fwooper he'd rescued from a wizarding pawn shop.

He'd known his creatures would've been curious about the new arrival, but he hadn't expected so many of them. Most were creatures he'd rescued from the cages on the boat with her, but he'd noticed his Niffler and even Dougal nearby. He'd ended up shooing them off, for the most part, but there was a particular one who hissed and spat at him.

"Rat!" It snipped at him, tail puffed angrily.

A Jarvey; a talking, over-grown ferret really. One of which had played a part in his expulsion from Hogwarts, but he'd chosen not to blame this one for something it had nothing to do with. Past grudges weren't going to play any part on whether he saved a magical creature or not. He was cautious though, unable to help it knowing the temperament of Jarveys first hand. It was slightly smaller than it should be, most likely due to its treatment while being held for auction, but he'd never encountered one so fiercely protective of someone.

"It's all right," he said calmly, holding up his hands. "I don't want to hurt her. I'm treating her. I'm helping."

The Jarvey was still puffed up, but a sigh slowly escaped Lux, somehow calming it.

"Jarvey…" Lux murmured, looking relieved as she peered open a sapphire eye. "I'm… glad you're safe."

It let out a huff. "Snake."

Lux rolled her eyes as she slowly pushed herself up with a cringe. "It's dragon… you weasel."

Newt couldn't help but crack a small smile, coming closer to help treat her. "You've bonded."

Lux shrugged, tapping the annoyed Jarvey on the head gently with a claw when it started to hiss at Newt again. "He was in the cage closest to mine… I tried to make it easier for them. He's the only one who was around for long. Though, he didn't make it easy."

The Jarvey clambered up her arm and onto her shoulders as Newt checked Lux's injuries.

"You're healing well. How are your wings?"

Lux stretched them out, giving a few tentative flaps. "Sore, but tolerable. I can probably change back now." She grimaced slightly but managed to shift back, stumbling slightly as Newt grabbed her arm to steady her.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded slowly, pulling away from him. "Just trying to orientate myself. The size difference is still new to me. I didn't get a lot of chances to shift forms stuck in that cage."

He eyed her. "How are you able to change like that?"

Her blue eyes went to his. "You wouldn't believe me."

He shrugged, and she let out a sigh.

"I'm an Animagus."

"But a dragon Animagus—"

"Has never been heard of. Thought to be impossible. Trust me, I've heard it all," Lux grumbled, taking a seat and scratching Jarvey's head as she looked at the creatures nearby. "And you weren't kidding about the magical creature sanctuary, were you?"

"How did you end up…"

"On auction?" She sighed, heavily as she passed a hand through her hair. "My own fault really. I was young and stupid. Took a trip to the Ministry to register at 18. Wanted to mess around with it a bit and I was spotted shifting back. Got kidnapped and Abraham found out what I was. Animagus are rare. Dragons are rarer. Now, put them together and you do the math. He wanted to know how much I was worth."

"I'm sorry," Newt murmured, but she shrugged.

"Not your fault and if anything, I owe you my life for getting me out of there."

"No, no, no. I-I was just trying to help. In a situation like that…" He trailed off, neither of us wanting to talk about it anymore and he cleared his throat, standing after having finished rebandaging the injury on my side. "Would you… like to see my creatures?"

Lux eyed him for a second before taking his offered hand up. "All right. Why not?"

* * *

We'd ended up staying in Equatorial Guinea for a month while I healed, Newt being kind enough to help me along and give me something to do. I mostly helped with feeding his creatures, the ones that didn't require larger food that was hard for me to carry with my injuries. In return, he taught me little tidbits for some of his creatures. Mostly for Jarvey though, since he'd proved to have mixed feelings for Newt and tended to stick to me more. Not that he minded. He had a better connection with his Bowtruckle and Niffler than I did. _Though, that's probably because I tend to look at the Niffler's gold when it's not around more than I should. I've got an eye for shiny objects._

Currently, though, I was going around and checking up on the creatures while Newt snuck me onboard another ship. I didn't have any papers or anything on me and had a bit of a dislike for ships after the last one. _But Newt wants to get Frank back to Arizona. We can't stay in one place forever._ I finished tossing a fish to said bird, earning a pleased chortle as he leaned down and nudged my head with his beak.

"Oi. Newt's going to get jealous if you keep sucking up to me, you know," I grumbled, lightly pushing him off. "You're just glad there's another big flying creature down here, aren't you?"

Frank cooed and flew up onto the highest rock in his section of the case as I threw another fish to him just as Newt wandered in.

"Are you spoiling him?"

I cracked a small smile. "Just a bit. He wouldn't leave me alone. It was either this, or I shift into my dragon form and we wrestle again. I assumed you'd rather I do this than clean up the mess from last time."

He nodded, looking relieved that I'd chosen the lesser of the two evils and moved over to help me clean what dishes he had left. Both of us found the mundane task of dishwashing comforting and peaceful rather than doing it with magic.

"Can't thank you enough for getting my wand back," I hummed, elbows deep in soapy water as I scrubbed a bucket.

"I hadn't realized it wasn't his," Newt admitted, "But it seems like a nice one."

I scoffed through my nose. "You'd be surprised. Pinewood with a phoenix feather core. Hard to deal with sometimes, but it enjoys silent casting and figuring out new spells. Very independent."

Newt nodded, humming in thought. "Much like yourself."

I didn't respond to that comment, passing him the bucket to dry and dunking in some dishes we'd used in our own meals.

"Is there… Is there somewhere you need to go?" He asked suddenly. "You don't have to come with me. If there's family waiting for you, you can—"

"There's not," I cut him off.

"Oh."

_Dammit, I did it again._ I sighed softly. "They're Muggles, my parents," I admitted to him. "I had to sneak off to Hogwarts. Told them I was going to a boarding school. When I came back, I decided to admit what I was to them and they… kicked me out. It's part of the reason I left to the Ministry to register as an Animagus. Thought they'd change their mind, but I went back to find they had a little boy while I was gone. I'd never seen them so happy. Not when I was around."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have asked."

"It's fine. We've been trading information for a month now. Think we can pass around a few personal questions," I replied, managing a small smile. "I was a bit of a terror child anyway. Liked to sneak off into the forest while my parents weren't looking. They hated that. Even more so when I made friends with a raccoon. He used to sneak into our trash and I let him in the house a few times. Scared my mom half to death."

Jarvey ran up my back and settled on my shoulders with a hiss. "Snake!"

I scratched his head with a damp finger. "He wasn't as cool as you Jarvey. Don't be jealous."

"You're good with them; animals," he noted, and I hummed, giving him the last dish and drying my hands.

"Parents had a small farm. Dealt with them all the time. Not all were pleasant but being calm and having patience works wonders. You?"

"I've been with magical creatures all my life. My… mother is a Hippogriff breeder though… she doesn't approve of my interests in Magizoology."

I frowned. "That's a shame. You're good at it. Don't see why she wouldn't support something you're good at… Though, I'm not exactly an expert in what mothers should be like." I scratched the back of my head.

"What were you planning to study?" He asked curiously as we put the dishes away.

"Well, I was never really sure. Wanted to work for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures mostly. Never really got into my other courses other than that, Charms, and Transfiguration. When I discovered my Animagus… This is going to sound a bit silly but… I figured I could become a Dragonologist. My Animagus is a dragon. So, I thought it would make understanding them a little easier."

"I… I think that's a great idea," he smiled, making me scratch my cheek in embarrassment.

"Thanks."

"So… what are you going to do now?"

I shrugged, taking a seat on a stump and looking out at the view before me as a Giant Dung Beetle rolled something past us. "Don't know. Probably drop by MUSCA and get a copy of my papers… Need to update them, actually."

"You're not going to…"

"Register?" I grimaced. "No. Not particularly fond of the idea now. Can't trust any witch or wizard to find out about what I am and not try to use me for it. Well, except you, apparently."

He cracked a smile, knowing I didn't mean any harm by it. "I'm honored."

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "You don't mind if I stick around, do you? I can leave once we're in New York."

"No, I… enjoy your company, actually," he said. "You're welcome to stay. I would… like to learn more about dragons from you, if possible. I've not come across any that need my help yet, but…"

"All right," I hummed, cracking a small smile myself. "Partners it is then. So, what are we going to do in New York?"

"Not sure yet," he replied, checking his watch. "The boat will be docking soon. We can see about getting your papers first if you'd like."

"Whatever you want."

He nodded, moving towards the workshop. "Yes. Right. I will go up now. Have to get through security and then… I-I'll let you out after that."

I gave him a small salute. "I'll keep the peskier ones in check while you're out." I caught a rustle of leaves nearby and pointed at it. "That means you, Dougal."

The Demiguise shimmered into view, giving me an innocent look that I didn't buy for a minute. He realized this and wrinkled his nose, disappearing again and scampering off as I gave a surprised Newt a look.

"See? You're covered."

"Y-Yes. Yes, all right. I… will see you in a few moments… Lux."

"Newt," I hummed, and he ducked into the workshop as Frank let out a screech. "Yes, all right!" I complained, shifting into my dragon form and shaking out my body. "We can play for a bit but no messes!"

The Thunderbird chirped happily, flapping his wings and diving towards me. _Oh, something tells me there will _definitely_ be a mess._


	2. Chapter 2

The boat docked and after a quick little trick to disguise his suitcase, Newt had made it through the security checkpoint. He let out a soft sigh of relief, glad to be out of the crowds and in an area a little more open with considerably fewer people noticing him. He glanced up at the tall skyscrapers before finding an alleyway and knocking on his case. Lux's head poked out, her blue eyes skimming the outside world before giving him a look.

"We all clear?"

Newt nodded. "Yes."

Lux climbed out of the case with a stretch as Newt closed it shut, giving the alleyway another quick check to make sure no one had spotted them before moving back out onto the street.

"Coming?"

Lux nodded, picking up her pace to catch up with him and looking around curiously just as he did. "Never been to a big city like this."

Newt blinked. "Never? Not even London?"

"I went to London for the train station. Once to Hogwarts and once back, but it wasn't like this."

Newt nodded, giving the towers another glance. "Yes. New York is like a whole 'nother world, isn't it?"

Lux hummed, before sniffing the air and eyes lighting up as she smacked at his shoulder repeatedly, making him shy away. "Newt. Newt, I smell meat. I haven't had meat in a decade. Can we—Can _I_—"

"Yes, yes, all right. Just stop hitting me," he complained, reaching into his coat and setting his suitcase down, passing her some money. "Here. That should be enough for one. I'm going to keep looking around. We can meet by the bank."

"Right, bank. Thanks!" She chirped, hurrying for the hotdog stand as Newt cracked a small smile.

_She is very… different, that's for sure. _His smile faltered though. _A decade in a cage… I couldn't imagine. And something as simple as a piece of meat can add a hint of light in her eyes. She's missed out on so much._ He shook his head from the thoughts, turning around just as he bumped into someone.

"So sorry," he apologized, realizing he was in a crowd of people as a woman stood in front of the bank and called down to the people below—preaching.

"But where there is light, there is shadow, friend. Something is stalking our city, wreaking destruction and then disappearing without a trace. Listen to me. We have to fight. Join us, the Second Salemers, in our fight! You hear me? We have to fight together for the sake of our—"

A portly man stumbled over Newt's case and Newt hastily tried to figure out a way to help, but the man was already back on his feet with a small annoyed look.

"So sorry. My case."

"No harm done," the man muttered, slipping past people once more to try and get into the bank. "Excuse me."

His tumble though had caused the crowd to part in front of Newt, making him rather visible to the woman preaching, in his bright blue coat that stood out among the greys and blacks.

"You," she pointed to him. "Friend."

Newt gave her a look, surprised she was pointing at him as she took a few steps closer.

"What drew you to our meeting today?"

"Oh, I-I was just passing," he stuttered out with a slight bow of his head, hoping she'd leave him be.

"Are you a seeker? A seeker after truth?"

"I'm more of a chaser, really," he admitted honestly. _Lux, where are you?_

"Hear my words and heed my warning," the woman continued with her speech. "And laugh if you dare. Witches live among us! We have to fight together for the sake of our children, for the sake of tomorrow! What do you say to that, friend?"

Newt scrambled to think up some sort of response, but his gaze was instead drawn towards the black fur-ball further up the stairs stealing the hat of a sleeping homeless man filled with coins. He glanced down at his case—_when did he get out_—before locking eyes with the Niffler as it dashed into the bank.

"Excuse me," he apologized to the woman, rushing up the stairs after the Niffler.

_Lux will wait out here, hopefully, _he mused as he looked around the bank. He must have appeared suspicious or lost though; a bank teller stepping up to him.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"No. I was, I was just…" _Think! _"…just waiting." He stepped over to the nearest bench, putting his case down and looking anxiously for his Niffler.

He didn't realize he had taken his seat beside the portly man from earlier, who took in a steady breath and smiled at him.

"Hi… What brings you here?"

Newt finally looked at him. "Same as you," he smiled, not knowing what else to say while distracted.

The man blinked in surprise. "You're here to get a loan to open up a bakery?"

Newt realized his mistake but went with it. "Yes… and waiting for a friend who was… buying lunch."

The man looked ahead, buying the lie. "What are the odds of that?"

Newt leaned back and finally spotted the Niffler sneaking a pocket watch from a case on the floor.

"Well, may the best man win, I guess." The portly man offered his hand, but Newt was quick to get up to chase after his Niffler.

"Excuse me."

"Hey… Hey, mister. Hey mister!" The man called after him, but Newt ignored the Muggle for now. "Hey, fella!"

"Mr. Kowalski," a woman called out rather annoyed, drawing the portly man's attention away from the egg he'd found, having fallen from Newt's coat pocket. "Mr. Bingley will see you now."

"Okay…" he breathed out, pocketing the egg for now and straightening his coat as he tried to get rid of his nervous jitters. "Okay."

And he stepped into the office.

* * *

I ate my second hotdog with as much vigor as the first. Newt had given me enough money for two and, knowing he didn't want one, I had helped myself. I slid past the group of people at the bottom steps of the bank, only stopping to take a flyer from a nervous young man. He eyed me briefly and I tilted my head in return, before managing a small nervous grin. _I'm not good with kids, even if he does look like he's a teenager. There's something off about him though. It's odd to see kids that uncomfortable._ I glanced over his head at the preaching woman out front with a small frown. _And I don't like her. They always told me I judged too quickly at Hogwarts, but Dumbledore was always curious about what I had to say. I was rarely wrong, after all. _I took the extra change from my pocket and handed it to the kid, surprising him.

"For the flyer."

He tried to hand it back, but I pressed his hand towards his chest.

"Or for you. I won't tell."

I gave him a small wave as I bounded up the stairs for a higher vantage point, looking around. _Okay, Newt. Where are you?_ I spotted the hint of a blue coat out of the corner of my eye, but it was _inside_ the bank instead of out front. _Well, all right._ I shrugged to myself, finishing off my hotdog and slipping in through the doors, getting a quick look around before moving behind a pillar. I didn't want to be sticking out by standing in the open, so I pretended to check the time on my non-existent watch as my gaze shifted around the room. _There, and is that…_ I spotted the Niffler under a bench while Newt was trying to stealthily peek into a woman's purse. Being as quiet as I could, I got closer._ Pesky little rat. I like money as much as you do, but you don't see _me_ pickpocketing people right now!_ The Niffler dropped a handful of coins from his pouch. _Though, I can't say I'm not tempted. I forgot to mention to Newt that I was a bit of a thief before. Hard to survive as an 18-year-old runaway._

A pug barked at the Niffler when it reached for its dog-tag, just as I dove down to try and grab it. The Niffler was quick and I cursed under my breath as Newt hurried over.

"Missed?"

"He's slippery," I complained, watching the Niffler climb up and scramble away. "And we're about to have a bigger problem. Look where he's headed."

Newt looked over and we both hurried over to where the bars were separating the tellers from the rest of us, seeing the Niffler stuffing coins down its pouch on the bottom half of a cart. He locked eyes with us, giving me a look and placing his paws over the coin pile as though to claim it as his, making me lift my lips in a snarl.

"I'm not taking that money, you rat," I hissed under my breath.

"We need to get him, quickly," Newt explained as the Niffler was rolled into an elevator.

"Hey, mister English guy!"

We both looked over at a portly man who was holding up a very familiar egg.

"I think your egg is hatching!"

I looked at Newt. "How did he get a hold of an Occamy egg?"

"Long story. Tell you later," Newt said quickly, pulling out his wand and nodding to his arm.

"Ugh, I hate Apparition," I grumbled but grabbed his elbow as he pointed his wand at the man.

He slid over, much to his own shock, and the moment he came into contact with us, we moved onto a staircase behind the teller's area with a 'snap.'

"Huh?" He breathed, but our eyes were glued to the egg as it started to crack open.

"Sh," Newt hushed him.

"What is… happening?" The Muggle breathed out and Newt placed his wand in his mouth to take the egg from him.

The Occamy chick gave out little screeches, and Newt smiled slightly at me and then at the Muggle before heading down the stairs. We both mostly ignored his muttering as we moved to where Newt could put the Occamy chick back in the case and I eyed it.

"In you hop," he hummed as various creatures inside squeaked and screeched. "Everyone settle down. S-Stay. Dougal, don't make me come in there. Don't make me come down there."

"Hello?" The Muggle called out, heading over, but I looked to Newt.

"Do you want me to go in? Chill them out and make sure he gets where he needs to?"

Newt shook his head. "He'll be fine. His siblings will be hatching about now as well. I've already placed him in his nest."

I shook my head. "You _have_ to show me how to do that. Plopping creatures in the workshop is one thing but getting them to the spot where they need to be is another."

"Perhaps another time," he mused, giving me a small smile before looking at the vault as the Niffler slipped through the door's crack. "We have to catch _him_ first." With a twist of his wand, he started to unlock the safe. "Alohomora."

Yet another Muggle joined us, not looking pleased. "Oh, so you're gonna steal the money, huh?"

I whipped my wand out and twisted, though not until after the man had pushed the alarm. "Petrificus Totalus."

The man went ramrod straight as our new partner in crime gasped.

"Mr. Bingley!"

"Kowalski," Mr. Bingley breathed out, toppling over as I huffed.

"That was rather quick," Newt commented, making me crack a small grin.

"I did great in dueling. Top of my class. Always had great reflexes." I waved at him, heading for Mr. Bingley. "You deal with the Niffler. I'll obliviate him."

"Thank you," Newt murmured softly.

_He doesn't like doing it. I don't either, but this guy seems like the type to cause problems if we don't. _I gave a glance to the Kowalski guy. _Him, on the other hand… seems like he doesn't believe in what he's seeing. Doesn't look like the kind of confident guy people would listen to if he did try and bring it up either. And he seems decent._ I looked back to the collapsed man and twisted my wand.

"Obliviate."

"W-What are you doing to him?" Kowalski asked, myself waving him off as I tucked my wand away.

"Erasing his memories. Of who he saw down here. As easy as it would be for us to slip away, best he didn't inform the authorities of our descriptions."

"O-Oh…"

There was a clattering then and we both turned to see Newt holding the Niffler by its back legs and shaking it to drop the items from its pouch. I edged closer to the vault, gaping at the jewelry and gold that fell out of the creature, resisting the urge to nick some myself. Unsuccessfully, I might add. The Niffler chuckled as Newt tickled him. Footsteps approached though, and I hastily grabbed Newt as he stuffed the Niffler into his coat. Armed soldiers stormed down the stairs as Kowalski panicked.

"Oh, no. No, no, no. Don't, don't shoot. Don't shoot!"

"Should I change?" I breathed out as guns were drawn.

"No."

Then we snapped out of existence and landed in the alleyway outside. Kowalski was still very panicked, but Newt was busy getting upset with the Niffler and stuffing him back in his suitcase.

"Now, for the last time, you pilfering pest. Paws off what doesn't belong to you."

A commotion was going on just around the corner, which I was keeping my eye on, as policemen showed up and tried to herd people away from the bank that had just been technically broken into. Once the Niffler was secure though, Newt looked to the terrified Kowalski a little nervously.

"I'm awfully sorry about all that."

"What the hell was that?"

"None of your business, technically," I grumbled, giving Newt a glance. "We need to move soon, or we'll be suspicious. They're blocking off areas near the bank."

Newt nodded, grabbing Kowalski by his coat lapels and straightening him out. "Now, unfortunately, you have seen far too much. So, if you wouldn't mind… If you just stand there, this will be over in a jiffy."

"Mm, sure, yeah," Kowalski muttered as Newt turned to get his wand.

I was a bit too busy looking around the corner when Kowalski hit Newt with his suitcase. I whipped around, just as it swung my way, getting knocked to the ground with a groan as Kowalski hurried off.

"S-Sorry!" He apologized, but I was too busy rubbing my aching head.

"Stupid Muggle," I complained, taking Newt's offered hand up once he was steady on his own feet.

"Bugger," he breathed out, rubbing the back of his head where he'd been hit as I rubbed the side of mine.

"Well, not like he'll be the next person to reveal the wizarding world," I grumbled. "I'd rather not have to go hunting him down."

"I-It's fine. We best go, as you said."

I nodded, and we started down the alley as a young woman walked towards us. A shiver went down my spine as we got closer and I instinctively reached back for my wand. _There's something off about_—My thoughts were cut short when she grabbed Newt and I and apparated us to a nook in the wall a ways away, wand at my throat with mine pointed at her gut.

"Drop the wand."

I growled threateningly, having never appreciated a wand aimed at me and less so after what happened with Abraham.

"L-Lux, not here," Newt tried to calm me down, knowing that if I changed we'd be in full view of a number of Muggles.

"Get her wand _off_ me," I snapped.

"I'm not putting mine down until you do," she replied, and I grit my teeth hard as Newt tried to intervene.

"Please," he begged her. "Lux is… She isn't good with wands."

The woman hesitated, looking at me cautiously but she must have seen something—maybe the hidden fear in my eyes—and she lowered her wand. I didn't release mine but stepped out of the enclosed area to sink against the outer brick wall as I tried to get myself back under control. _God, he's messed me up this much? I've been fine up until now, probably because I haven't dealt with people other than Newt, who knew to keep his distance and not draw his wand while I was around until I was comfortable._ I passed a hand through my hair, hating how it quivered and tried to listen to what the witch wanted from us to distract myself.

"Who are you?"

"I'm sorry."

"Who are you?" She repeated, and Newt begrudgingly answered.

"Newt Scamander a-and this is Lux Delaney. And you are?"

She didn't answer, pointing at his suitcase. "What's that thing in your case?"

"That's my Niffler." He noticed something then, reaching slightly towards her. "You've got something on you—"

She leaned back. "Why in the name of Deliverance Dane did you let that thing loose?"

I turned with a small glare at her, standing again now that I was calmer. "You act like we did it on purpose."

"For all I know, you did," she argued, making me lift my lips in a small snarl.

It didn't help that I was getting mixed feelings from her. _Is she good? A danger? What?_

"We didn't mean to," Newt apologized before we could get into it. "He's incorrigible. You see, anything shiny, he's all over the place."

"You didn't mean to?"

"No."

"You could not have chosen a worse time to let that creature loose. We're in the middle of a situation here!"

Newt looked to me and I frowned in return, having no idea what she meant by a "situation" nor what this had to do with our Niffler.

"Hold on a second. He escaped on his own," I argued. "We were just trying to catch him before people noticed."

"And people _did_ notice," she hissed in return. "They think you robbed a bank!"

"They'll get over it," I snipped shortly.

"You don't know that."

"Yeah, I do."

_Muggles forget about everything. My own damn parents forgot about me within a month._ Newt touched my arm, making me jerk and whip my head around to him, but he gave me a small smile and held up his hands in a calming motion. Begrudgingly, I allowed my tense shoulders to fall and let out a huff.

"I'm taking you in."

Newt's smile fell at that. "You're taking me where?"

She pulled out her ID. "Magical Congress of the United States of America."

"You work for MACUSA?" I questioned, eyeing her ID. _Porpentina Esther Goldstein. Federal Wand—_

Before I could finish reading her ID, she tucked it back into her coat.

"Can you please tell me you took care of the No-Maj?"

"The what?" Newt and I both questioned.

"The No-Maj. No-Magic! The non-wizard!"

"Oh," Newt breathed out, understanding. "Sorry. We call them Muggles."

"You wiped his memory, right?" She pressed. "The No-Maj with the case?"

"Um…"

I pulled Newt away from her, not liking how she kept pushing him into corners. "We tried. He hit us with said case and ran off. The guy was submissive. Probably thinks he dreamed the whole thing. No one would listen if he mentioned it. Hell, that crazy lady preaching in front of the bank seems like a bigger concern than him."

"Doesn't matter," she argued, straightening herself to her full height in an attempt to not be intimidated by mine. "That's a Section 3A, Mr. Scamander, Mr. Delaney."

"_Miss_ Delaney," I corrected. "And if you've got such a situation on your hands, why waste time with us?"

"Because even the minor occurrences need to be dealt with in a crisis," she countered, taking both our arms. "I'm taking you both in."

We apparated to a slightly more crowded street as she tugged us towards a building.

"Come on."

"Uh, sorry. But uh, we do have things to do, actually," Newt tried to inform her, giving me a look that said behave.

_But she's dragging us into MACUSA! Think about the creatures, you numbskull! If they find out what you have in there, they're not going to be lenient. They could kill them! Entrap them! Cage __**us**__!_ And while he understood my unease, he still wasn't quite getting it.

"Well," Goldstein scoffed. "You'll have to rearrange them. What are you doing in New York anyway?"

"I came to buy a birthday present."

_Oh, __**now**__ he lies._ I rolled my eyes but remained silent.

"Couldn't you have done that in London?"

"No. There's only one breeder of Appaloosa Puffskeins in the world and he lives in New York, so no," Newt argued, making me raise a brow at the creature's name.

The look he gave me said he'd explain more about them later.

"I've got a Section 3A," Goldstein informed the doorman, releasing us.

Before we could slip away though, she stopped us.

"Hey. We don't allow the breeding of magical creatures in New York. We closed that guy down a year ago."

"What about the creatures?" I asked, hoping for the best and not what could have happened.

"Don't know. Not my division."

She led us to an elevator as Newt and I looked around curiously. Owls flew around freely as elevators seemed to go right up to the sky. A house elf worked on shining and polishing wands, though I eyed him uncertainly. _I don't know much about them or Goblins. Just know it's a sort of servitude. Perhaps Newt could tell me more._ Newt looked on curiously himself, though he had a similar downtrodden expression as I did when we passed the house elf. That being said, a goblin nicely dressed, greeted us in the elevator.

"Hey, Goldstein."

"Hey, Red," she greeted back, not looking thrilled as she pushed us in and cleared her throat. "Major Investigation Department."

"I thought you was—"

"Major Investigation Department," she repeated, making me eye her and get a small glare in return. "I've got a Section 3A."

_I wasn't reading her ID wrong then. She's been demoted. Taking us in is her trying to have a chance at getting her job back._ I looked down at the goblin though, as he hit the button for the floor we needed. He caught me staring and shot me a glare.

"Whatcha looking at?"

"Do you get paid?" I asked, curiously. "Sorry. I've… never dealt with Goblins."

He didn't look offended, just confused and leaned forward, giving Goldstein a look. "Where'd you pick this lady up? Seems a little off in the head."

"Oi!" I complained, Goldstein jerking my arm to tug me away from him.

"Behave, or I _will_ jinx you," she snipped, and I growled.

"Don't ask for more trouble than you can handle, _Wand Officer_."

She bristled but the lift chimed, and we stepped out, her jerking me roughly forward. The room she led us into had a group of people standing around discussing something. The moment one of them spotted us though, they went quiet and one woman, in particular, turned to us; Goldstein immediately shrinking into herself like a scolded puppy. _Lost her confidence __**real**__ quick, _I noted.

"I made your position quite clear, Miss Goldstein," the woman said calm but sharp.

"Yes, Madam President, but I—"

"You are no longer an Auror."

_Called it._

"No. Madam President, but—"

"Goldstein."

"There's been a minor—"

"This office is currently concerned with very _major_ incidents. Get out."

Goldstein folded like a damp piece of parchment. "Yes, ma'am."

As we walked out though, I felt eyes on my back and turned to glance at the dark-haired man watching us. _Oh, I really don't like him._ On the way down, I tipped my head slightly towards her.

"Who was that guy next to the President?"

She frowned at me. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curious."

She sighed heavily. "Percival Graves. The Director of Magical Security and head of MACUSA's Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Hm, I don't like him."

"I never asked," she snapped, having a soft spot for the man apparently.

"No, I mean, _really_ don't like him. And trust me, that's rare."

"And I _really_ don't like you, but you don't see me ranting about it."

I groaned as we stepped into another room full of self-working typewriters and desks. "Look. It's going to sound silly, but I can judge people's characters—rather accurately—after meeting them. Kids hated me in school for it, but I was never wrong."

Newt looked over at me curiously as we followed Goldstein, who was probably no longer listening. "Really?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Rarely wrong. Certain people were a bit muddy. You, for instance, Goldstein."

"What?" She questioned, looking slightly curious herself.

"Can't get a good read on you. Seem decent, but I dunno."

"And me?" Newt asked.

I nudged him with my elbow. "I wouldn't have stuck around you so long if I didn't feel you were trustworthy. That Graves guy though." I shook my head. "He leaves a sour taste in my mouth and sets me on edge. There's something dark about him."

"Hm, perhaps you're capable of Legilimency? A minor form of it. Interesting."

Newt ducked under a sign as Goldstein removed her coat and sat behind a desk, pulling up paperwork.

"So, you two got your wand permits? All foreigners have to have them in New York."

"I made a postal application weeks ago," Newt informed her gesturing to me. "Though, Lux needs to adjust her paperwork."

Goldstein looked over at me with a raised brow and I sighed.

"I've been… unable to get into contact with the Ministry or MACUSA until now. My last records were from when I was a graduate at Hogwarts… A decade ago."

"You're joking," she breathed.

"No, actually," Newt confirmed. "She has been… out of touch for a long while. We were planning to come here to get it sorted out."

"But you were in Equatorial Guinea."

Newt nodded. "I was. I've just completed a year in the field. I'm writing a book about magical creatures. I only bumped into Lux a month ago and she was… ill."

Goldstein gave me a once over, probably making note on my slimness. _I haven't gained as much weight as I wanted to in a month, but it takes time after what happened._

"Like… an extermination guide?" She asked, about Newt's book and I shot her a small scowl.

"God, what is with you witches and wizards and wanting to kill everything you don't understand? You're as bad as the Muggles."

Goldstein glared in return as Newt lightly touched my arm to calm me.

"What she means is, I'm making a guide to help people understand why we should be protecting these creatures instead of killing them."

"Goldstein?" Someone called out and she whipped around and dove down to hide behind her desk.

Newt and I exchanged looks as a man wandered up.

"Where is she? Where is she? Goldstein—" He stepped up beside us and eyed the back of her head. "Goldstein, did you just butt in on the Investigative Team again?" He questioned. "Where have you been?"

"What?"

He looked over to us. "Where'd she pick you two up?"

"Us?" Newt questioned, looking to Goldstein as she subtly shook her head.

The man didn't really want an answer apparently though, as he glared back at her.

"Have you been tracking them Second Salemers again?"

"Of course not, sir."

Footsteps approached, and that familiar chill went down my spine.

"Afternoon, Mr. Graves, sir," Goldstein's boss greeted.

"Afternoon, uh… Abernathy."

I eyed the man cautiously as Goldstein stepped forward.

"Mr. Graves, sir. This is Mr. Scamander and Miss Delaney. They have a crazy creature in that case and it got out and cause mayhem in a bank, sir."

"Oi, he's not crazy, and there was no mayhem," I argued, bristling.

I didn't want this Graves character anywhere near our creatures.

"Let's see the little guy."

Goldstein took the case and Newt and I scrambled to stop them, but Graves waved us off. I was getting antsy, eyes flicking back and forth between Graves and the case as Goldstein went to open it. My hands curled into fists and I murmured under my breath to Newt.

"I'll change if I need to."

"Lux—"

"No, Newt," I said sharply. "I'd rather get thrown back into some hell hole like before than have any of those creatures go through it themselves after finally being safe. Anything happens, I'll change. You grab the case and go."

He bit his lip, just as anxious as I was, but when the case was opened all there was were pastries.

"Tina…" Graves muttered in disappointment, slipping away as I glared heatedly at him in the process.

_There's not much that sets me on edge as much as that man. He reminds me of Abraham._ Goldstein was unfortunately forced to give in and begrudgingly helped me get my papers in order before we left MACUSA.

"I can't believe you didn't obliviate that man!" She complained again, and I groaned for the umpteenth time.

"I _told_ you. We couldn't do it _in_ the safe room because he'd get arrested just for being there. And when we went to do it afterward, he hit us with the case! Let me hit you with a suitcase and see if you can catch and obliviate someone."

"Look, if there's an inquiry, I'm finished!"

Newt was lost. "So, why would you be finished? We're the ones that—"

"I'm not supposed to go near the Second Salemers!"

"That sounds like your problem," I grumbled. "Should've just left us be if you didn't want to get caught doing something you shouldn't have."

There was a buzzing and we all paused as we spotted a purple non-native bug zoom past us.

"What was that?"

"Uh… moth, I think. Big moth," Newt lied, looking for where it came from only to find a crowd of people near a building that was partially missing.

We slipped through the people—myself unable to help but snag a wallet or two—and Newt was quick to obliviate a man claiming to have seen a hippo; changing his statement to a gas leak. Everyone else agreed and we slipped into the building as people hurried out; Goldstein staying behind for a moment.

"Dammit, Newt. He opened the bloody case," I hissed. "We'll be damn lucky if the Nundu didn't slip out."

We stepped into the room where the largest amount of damage had been done, spotting Kowalski groaning on the floor. Newt checked him as I went about trying to repair the damages. Down below, Goldstein called up, having realized we'd ditched her.

"Mr. Scamander! Miss Delaney!"

"It's _Lux_, woman," I hissed as the room put itself back together.

Newt picked up his case off the ground and started taking inventory as he sat on Kowalski's bed.

"It was open?" She questioned, poking her head through the door.

"Just a smidge."

"That crazy Niffler thing's on the loose again?"

I sighed. "When are you going to get it through your thick skull. He's not crazy. He's just got a thing for shiny objects," I huffed, flipping through one of the wallets I took.

She snatched it from me though, eyeing the ID in it and narrowing her eyes at me. "It's not the only one."

I shrugged. "Bad habit. I don't like crowds but when I'm in them…"

"He might be," Newt piped up. "The Niffler."

"Then look for it! Look!" She spotted Kowalski then and groaned. "His neck's bleeding. He's hurt! Oh, wake up. Mr. No-Maj—Ah!"

I hastily grabbed the Murtlap by the tail as it squirmed, and Newt whipped open his case for me to drop it in.

"Mercy Lewis, what is that?"

"Nothing to worry about," Newt replied, not really comforting her. "That is a Murtlap."

"What else have you got in there?" She breathed, looking suspicious.

"Look," I stepped in, seeing how her encountering some of our more… wild creatures could be a problem. "Those tentacle things on its back are used as healing remedies and can provide protection against jinxes. Thing's a little bite-y if you upset them, but so am I. So, don't go judging these creatures before you get to know them, would you? I _hate_ ignorant people."

"You."

We looked to Kowalski as Newt greeted him.

"Hello."

Tina was quick to rush to his aid. "Easy, Mr. uh…"

"Kowalski… Kowalski."

I rolled my eyes and pulled out my wand, but Tina got in the way.

"You can't obliviate him! We need him as a witness."

"So, you drag us to MACUSA because we _didn't_ obliviate him and now we_ can't_ obliviate him because we need him as a witness to _what_ exactly? Because I'm pretty sure there are half a dozen people downstairs who saw our creatures and could point us in the right direction. Or we're perfectly capable of tracking them down ourselves."

"You are… _very _good with words," Newt remarked, and I spared him a glance.

"Thanks. Professors hated me."

He smiled a bit, as though that was something to be proud of, but Tina scoffed.

"That explains a lot. Look, he's hurt. He looks ill!"

"He'll be fine," Newt offered. "Murtlap bites aren't serious."

Kowalski groaned, doubled over and looking rather sick as Tina shot us both glares.

"I admit, that is a slightly more severe reaction than I've seen. But if it was really serious, he'd have…" Newt trailed off, not wanting to say.

"What?"

"Well, the first symptom would be flames out of his anus."

Tina stood. "Oh, this is balled up!"

"It'll last forty-eight hours at the most!" Newt tried to explain. "I can keep him if you want me to."

"Oh, keep him? Haha." She then snapped at him. "We don't keep them!"

I stepped between them, seeing Newt growing unsettled with her shouting. "Well, what do you want us to do! Hold him and treat his illness for two days, or obliviate him and treat his illness?"

She wasn't intimidated. "Do you two know anything about the wizarding community in America?"

"Do I care?" I questioned, though Newt poked his head out from around my shoulder—placing a hand on my arm to calm me down a bit.

"I do know a few things, actually. I know you have rather backward laws about relations with non-magic people. That you're not meant to befriend them. That you can't marry them, which seems mildly absurd to me."

"Who's going to marry him?" Tina questioned like it was a stupid thing to bring up. She just shook her head though, moving to help Kowalski up. "You're all coming with me."

Newt and I looked at one another, him speaking up before I could argue.

"I don't see why we need to come with you."

"Help me!" She snapped, fumbling with Kowalski as he muttered to himself. "Please."

"I'm dreamin', right? I never went to the bank. This is all just some big nightmare, right?"

Newt and I begrudgingly helped get Kowalski onto his feet.

"For the both of us, Mr. Kowalski," Tina grumbled, apparating us to another part of town.


	3. Chapter 3

"Take a right here."

"Why are we doing this?" I hissed to Newt as Tina peeked in a house and turned to us.

"Okay, before we go in, I-I'm not supposed to have men on the premises."

"In that case, Mr. Kowalski, Lux and I can easily seek other accommodation."

Newt and I started to tug him away, but she pulled in the other direction.

"Haha. Oh, no you don't. Watch your step."

We were forced up the stairs to Tina's place with Kowalski, only to pause when an older woman called out from below.

"That you, Tina?"

"Yes. Mrs. Esposito," Tina replied, as Newt quietly hushed Kowalski.

"Are you alone?"

"Always alone, Mrs. Esposito."

We were given the go-ahead and she shoved us through the door to her place where we were greeted by a floating rack of wash in front of the fireplace. The ladies' undergarments caught Kowalski's attention and Newt made sure he was steady before letting him go and looking around. _Bit cramped_, I noted, looking around as well to try and distract myself from the small size of the rooms

"Teenie, you brought men home," a delicate voice chimed, drawing our attention to a blonde in the other room.

"Gentlemen, Lux, this is my sister," Tina introduced as the woman grinned.

I just eyed the thin slip she was wearing with a raised brow, nudging my elbow into Kowalski to knock him out of his stupor. Newt hadn't stared for long though, I noticed. _Though why I noticed, or care is unknown to me_.

"You wanna put something on, Queenie?"

"Oh, sure," she replied, slipping into a dress that drew Kowalski back into eyeing her with his mouth dropped open.

_Men,_ I mentally huffed, shifting to the window and opening a curtain. Getting a view of the outside helped with the tense feeling of being trapped that was slowly crawling its way up my throat.

"So, who are they?" Queenie asked, Tina gesturing to Newt and me.

"That's Mr. Scamander and Lux. They've committed a serious infraction of the National Statute of Secrecy."

I gave Queenie a small glance. "She tried to arrest us because the Muggle hit us with his case before we could obliviate him."

Queenie didn't seem bothered. "They're criminals?"

"Uh-huh. And this is Mr. Kowalski. He's a No-Maj."

"A No-Maj?" She questioned, looking excited as Kowalski waved. "Teen, what are you up to?"

"He's sick. It's a long story. Mr. Scamander and Lux have lost something. I'm going to help them find it…"

Kowalski had started to falter, and he dropped onto a sofa as Queenie headed over.

"You need to sit down, honey. He hasn't eaten all day."

_What?_ I looked back over at her; my senses telling me she was a good person, but something was off about her.

"And, oh, that's rough," she cooed, hovering over Kowalski. "He didn't get the money he wanted for his bakery… You bake, honey? I love to cook."

"You're a Legilimens?" Newt questioned, making her look at us.

"Mm, yeah. But I always have trouble with your kind. Brits. It's the accent." She looked to me then and I shied my gaze away. "Yours a bit strange though. It's like Irish or Scottish, but more… American. Did you used to live here?"

"…Yes," I muttered, trying to ignore the eyes on me. "I guess you could say that."

I could feel her prodding at my head as I tried to keep from thinking about it, but thankfully Kowalski cut in.

"You know how to read minds?"

Queenie looked back to him with a smile. "Don't worry, honey. Most guys think what you was thinking, first time they see me. Now, you. Need. Food."

Her and Tina went about getting the dishes and food made; plates floating to their places as Queenie scolded Tina on her lunch choice. Newt tapped my arm, getting my attention as he started to sneak towards the door, but we were easily caught.

"Hey, Mr. Scamander, Lux," Queenie called out. "You prefer pie or strudel?"

"I really don't have a preference," Newt responded with a nervous smile as Tina shot us a look.

_We're not getting out of here that easily._

"Oh… You've never had either?"

I flinched at her observation, body coiled tensely. "P-Please stay out of my head."

She blinked, confused almost and I wondered if she had any control over her abilities or if she naturally just slipped in when she dealt with people. Then, I saw the tears pooling in her eyes, making me grimace as her voice cracked.

"O-Oh, dear. I'm… I'm so sorry. You've been through so much. I didn't realize…"

"What is it?" Tina asked, stepping over to comfort her sister. "What's wrong? What did she do?"

"It's… It's nothing," Queenie waved her off. "She's just had a hard time, that's all. But… you're beautiful, Lux. Your Animagus."

Tina whipped around to me. "Y-You have an Animagus? But you're not registered!"

"For good reason," I snapped at her before shifting my gaze to Queenie. "And don't say anything to anyone. Especially not her." I thrust a finger at Tina.

"I swear," Queenie murmured, shocking Tina further.

"Queenie, you're kidding!"

"Nope!" Queenie chirped with a smile. "She has a very good reason for hiding it. I won't tell a soul. And you can open the window, dear, if you're feeling claustrophobic."

"Stop poking in my head," I grumbled, pushing the window open and sitting on the sill to feel a passing breeze.

"I'm just curious. Glad you like me though. You're a great judge of character."

I sighed, realizing that she wasn't about to stop digging through my head anytime soon and just waited for them to finish preparing dinner. She confirmed with Kowalski that we were having strudel for desert and with a wave of her wand, everything was finished and set out on the table.

"Well, sit down, Mr. Scamander, Lux," Tina said.

Newt hesitated and I too, was reluctant to leave my perch in the window.

"We're not going to poison you."

Kowalski gave us both pointed looks as well, but it was what Queenie said that got me moving.

"We're having pork, Lux."

Newt immediately groaned as I hopped off the window sill and came up beside him like an eager puppy.

"Come on. _Meat_, Newt. One dinner won't cause any harm."

"Fine," he murmured, and I cracked a grin, taking a seat between him and Kowalski to stuff my face as Queenie and the Muggle talked about mundane things.

"The job ain't that glamorous. I mean, I spend most days making coffee, unjinxing the John. Tina's the career girl."

Kowalski must've thought about her parents then, Queenie answering before he could ask.

"Nah, we're orphans. Ma and Pa died of dragon pox when we were kids."

I choked on my water upon hearing "dragon," earning a pat on the back from Newt as Queenie apologized.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to spook you… Oh. Oh, how terrible. Yours kicked you out?"

I shot her a slightly annoyed look, but now had the whole table's attention on me anyway. "They were Mug—No-Maj. I snuck away to wizarding school, came back and told them. It wasn't a surprise."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, before looking at Kowalski with a soft smile. "You're sweet. But we've got each other, and Lux has Mr. Scamander now too."

"Could you stop reading my mind for a second?" Kowalski asked, and Queenie backed off with a sad look. "Don't get me wrong. I, I love it."

They both chuckled, and I gave Newt a glance. He looked just as uncomfortable as I was with the blatant flirting in front of us.

"This meal, it's insanely good," Kowalski complimented her. "This is what I do. I'm a, I'm a cook. And, and this is, like, the greatest meal I have ever had in my life."

"Oh, you slay me! I ain't never really talked to a No-Maj before," Queenie cooed.

"Huh, really?"

Queenie suddenly looked to Tina and me. "I am not flirting."

"I'm just saying, don't go getting attached," Tina informed her. "He's going to have to get obliviated. Nothing personal," she murmured to a saddened Kowalski as he dabbed his sweaty forehead.

"Oh, hey. You okay, honey?" Queenie asked, and Newt was quick to get up.

"Miss Goldstein, I think Mr. Kowalski could do with an early night. And besides, you, Lux and I will need to be up early tomorrow morning to find my Niffler so…"

"What's a Niffler?" Queenie questioned.

"Don't ask," Tina grumbled, showing us to the room we'd be staying in. "You guys can bunk in here. Lux, you can—"

"It's fine," I cut her off, standing myself and moving towards the window. "I don't sleep much."

Tina frowned, but before she could press the issue, Queenie stopped her by placing a hand on her arm and shaking her head. She still looked tempted to press on but gave in eventually and once Newt and Kowalski were settled in the other room, I waited for Tina to leave. I knew Newt wasn't going to sleep much either and once the coast was clear, I slipped into their room to find Newt already stepping into his suitcase.

"Thank Merlin," I mumbled, giving the stunned Kowalski a look. "Come on. You too."

I slipped in after Newt and Kowalski soon followed, tumbling down the steps and hitting the floor hard.

"Can you sit down?" Newt asked him, preparing something for the bite on his neck.

Kowalski took a glance at the two zooming bugs as they fluttered off and settled down on a stool. Newt removed his coat and went over to look at the bite again.

"Oh, that's definitely the Murtlap. You must be particularly susceptible. See, you're a Muggle. So, our physiologies are subtly different. Lux, do you need anything for your wounds?"

I shook my head. "They've healed up ages ago, Newt."

"But you're still favoring your side," he noted, giving me a look over his shoulder. "I can give you something for it, if you'd like."

I sighed, knowing he'd continue pestering me or pout if I didn't take his offer. "All right. Just take care of him first."

He nodded, cracking a slight smile before taking some medication and pressing it to Kowalski's neck.

"Now, that should stop the sweating. And one of those should sort the twitch."

Kowalski shrugged, taking the pill offered and drinking from the water mug as Newt waved a hand at me.

"Shirt up."

Kowalski spit out some of his water and I shot him a glare as I lifted the side of my shirt unabashedly.

"Honestly, get a hold of yourself, Kowalski."

"Sor—" He stopped apologizing as he caught sight of the large scar Newt was putting green paste on. "Wow…"

Newt then wrapped bandaged around it to keep any goop from getting on my clothes and I dropped my shirt, giving the gaping Muggle a frown.

"Don't ask and I'll continued to pretend that obliviating you is a waste of time."

He nodded, accepting that deal as Newt chopped some meat and dropped it in a bucket. He passed it to me and I passed it to Kowalski, who looked at it in disgust. Newt though, was busy replenishing a batch of something, trying to coax the creature in his hand into giving more extract.

"What you got there?" Kowalski asked.

"This the locals call, 'Swooping Evil,' not the friendliest of names. It's quite an agile fellow." Newt calmed the creature until it dangled from a small cocoon in his hand. "I've been studying him and I'm pretty sure his venom could be quite useful if properly diluted."

"What for?" I asked, leaning over to look at the vibrant, almost glowing blue liquid.

"Just to remove bad memories, you know."

"Like Obliviate except without precision?"

"There's precision, just only for the bad memories."

I frowned, puzzled. "But what _we_ consider bad is different from others. So, is it based on your bad or theirs?"

Newt blinked, looking back at me. "Good question."

The Swooping Evil suddenly flew towards Kowalski with a screech, but Newt was quick to roll it back into his hand like a yo-yo. I had a look of surprise, but when Newt glanced over with a small grin, I couldn't help but join him in smiling.

"Brilliant."

"Probably shouldn't let him loose in here though," Newt mused, turning to Kowalski. "Come on."

Kowalski stepped out of the workshop, still a little stunned, but only growing more so when he spotted Newt and I under an invisible umbrella as a thunderstorm rumbled away. Rain poured down as Frank squawked and took his time heading over.

"Come on. Down you come," Newt coaxed him. "Come on."

The umbrella was whipped away as Frank stopped his storm and allowed Newt to pet him.

"Thank Paracelsus. If you'd have got out, that could have been quite catastrophic." He looked to Kowalski. "You see, he's the real reason I—_we_ came to America. To bring Frank home."

Kowalski started to step forward, but Frank screeched

"No, sorry. Stay there," Newt ordered, and Kowalski stopped. "He's a bit sensitive to strangers."

"Aren't we all," I hummed, earning a playful nudge from Frank as Newt explained.

"He was trafficked, you see. I found him in Egypt. He was all chained up. Couldn't leave him there, had to bring him back."

Frank turned his head back to him, allowing him to rest his face on his beak.

"We're going to put you back where you belong, aren't we, Frank? To the wilds of Arizona." Newt threw a treat up for him and he caught it easily before flying to a higher perch and flapping his wings at me.

"Oi, we'll play later," I said, pointing at him. "It's been a while and I know that, but you made a mess last time, remember? And who had to clean it up?"

Frank screeched before letting out a soft huff out his nose as I rolled my eyes.

"Needy bugger."

Newt turned then, bringing his hands up to his mouth and calling out. I took the bucket from Kowalski and followed after him. Kowalski lagged a little behind, but it had taken a while for the next set of creatures to respond to Newt's call.

"Here they come."

"Here who comes?" Kowalski asked, nervous with the ground rumbling.

"The Graphorns," I hummed as two large and a small creature galloped forward, making Kowalski scream.

I'd kept hold of his arm though, knowing you shouldn't run from them and Newt tried to calm him down.

"You're all right. You're all right." He then greeted the male Graphorn. "Hello, hello."

Tentacles nuzzled both our faces in friendly greeting as Newt explained to Kowalski.

"So, they're the last breeding pair in existence. If I hadn't managed to rescue them, that could have been the end of Graphorns forever."

A baby came over and circled Kowalski, letting him run a hand over its back before Newt tossed it some meat to eat.

"What, you two rescue these creatures?" He asked.

"I just joined in," I hummed, nodding to Newt as I tossed some meat as well. "_He_ does all the rescuing."

"Rescue, nurture, and protect them, and I'm gently trying to educate my fellow wizards about them," Newt replied. "Come on."

There was a hiss and Jarvey scampered up around my shoulders, earning a head scratch and dead rat for himself as Kowalski gave it a look.

"Pig!" Jarvey snapped at him and his mouth dropped open.

"Did he just—"

"Don't mind him," I grumbled. "He's got a foul mouth. He's a Jarvey. Newt rescued him with me."

"With you?"

I nudged him forward, trying to get him moving again and not caught up in my backstory. "Come on. Newt still needs us."

We passed into another section of the suitcase, earning a "wow" from Kowalski as Newt pulled out his Bowtruckle.

"Titus, Finn, Poppy Marlow, Tom," Newt called out, explaining to Kowalski again. "He had a cold. He needed some body-warmth. Right, on you hop."

The Bowtruckle was rather reluctant to return to the tree with his other Bowtruckles.

"See? He has some attachment issues. Now, come on Pickett. Pickett. No, they're not going to bully you. Now, come on. Pickett."

Pickett dangled from Newt's fingers, not ready to let go yet and, being the softy that he was, Newt gave in.

"All right. But that is exactly why they accuse me of favoritism."

I spotted an empty nest and frowned. "Dougal's not around."

Newt eyed the nest as well. "Wonder where he's gone."

Soft chirping distracted us though, and Newt approached a different nest, speaking softly to the Occamy chicks inside.

"All right. I'm coming, I'm coming. Mum's here. Mum's here. Hello, you. Let me take a look at you."

"I know these guys," Kowalski realized as Newt picked one up and showed it to him.

"Your Occamy."

"What do you mean? _My_ Occamy?"

"Yes. Do you um…"

Kowalski didn't hesitate long, holding out his hands for the offered serpent-like creature. "Oh. Oh, wow. Yeah, sure. Okay. Hey." He started to reach up, but I grabbed his hand before he could try and pet it.

"I wouldn't. They're a bit tetchy."

"Oh," Kowalski murmured as Newt elaborated while he fed them.

"They learn to defend themselves early. See, their shells are made of silver, so they're incredibly valuable. Their nests tend to get ransacked by hunters."

"Mr. Scamander?"

"Call me Newt."

"Newt, I don't think I'm dreaming."

"Bout time," I muttered as Newt cracked a small smile.

"What gave it away?"

"I ain't got the brains to make this up."

Newt eyed Kowalski before pointing just past him. "Actually, would you mind throwing some of those pellets in with the Mooncalves over there?"

"Yeah, sure."

I grabbed a wheelbarrow and gave an annoyed groan as I passed by one of the habitats. "Niffler's gone."

"Of course, he has, little bugger," Newt complained. "Any chance to get his hands on something shiny. Can you take care of the Murtlap and the Wampus cat while I get the Nundu?"

"On it," I hummed, hearing Frank's screeches from where I was. "Ugh, I might have to play with him before we go."

Newt gave me a raised brow. "You don't mind if Mr. Kowalski finds out?"

I slowly shrugged. "He's a Muggle. What harm can he do? They never cared about me. They were smart, ran. Some tried to fight, but nothing of theirs works against me. It's the wizards who…" I shook my head. "My gut tells me he's a good guy. Queenie too, if that counts for anything. Still unsure about Tina. She seems… good but unknowingly bad? If that makes sense."

"I see," Newt hummed, thinking about it and I looked out over at Kowalski as he fed the Mooncalves.

"You know, if anything ever happens," I started, not wanting to look at him with what I was about to say next. "I will expose myself to keep these creatures safe."

"Lux."

"I mean it, Newt," I pressed, looking over at him seriously. "Just like I said before, I'd rather get caught than have these creatures experience that again."

"You…" Newt paused before reaching out and lightly touching my arm like when he's trying to calm me down. "You are important to me, Lux." He faltered, bowing his head and letting me go. "I just… wanted to let you know." He started to walk off but paused once more. "And Frank would be upset, I think, if you were to suddenly disappear like that."

I blinked, surprised at the warm feeling in my chest, but slowly turning away to do the tasks he'd given me. _I'm important to him?_

* * *

"Step back."

Kowalski jumped away from the floating black cloud trapped in a bubble in a winter landscape. "Geeze."

"Step back," Newt repeated, seriously.

"What's the matter with this?" Kowalski asked, but Newt was adamant.

"I said, step away."

Kowalski did as he said, unnerved by the cloud. "What the hell is this thing?"

"It's an Obscurus," Newt finally responded, quickly leaving the tent with him on his heels. "I need to get going. Find everyone who's escaped before they get hurt."

"Before _they_ could get hurt?" Kowalski questioned.

"Yes, Mr. Kowalski. They're currently in alien terrain, surrounded by millions of the most vicious creatures on the planet… Humans." Newt stopped in front of one enclosure, looking nervous as he spotted the hole in it. "Where would you say a medium-sized creature that like broad, open plain, trees, water holes, that kind of thing. Where might she go?"

"In New York City?" Kowalski asked, like he had two heads.

"Yes."

"Plains?" Kowalski shrugged, but came up with the first thing he could think of. "Central Park?"

"And where is that exactly?"

"Where is Central Park?" Kowalski repeated dubiously, before understanding that Newt really had no idea. "Well, look. I would come and show you, but don't you think it's kind of a double cross? The girls take us in, they make us hot cocoa."

"You do realize that when they see you've stopped sweating, they'll obliviate you in a heartbeat," Newt countered.

"What does 'bliviate' mean?" Kowalski asked. "Is it that thing Lux did before?"

Newt nodded. "It'll be like you wake up and all memory of magic is gone."

"I-I won't remember any of this?"

"No."

"…All right. Yeah, okay. I'll help you."

"Come on, then. Let's get Lux."

They headed back towards the workshop and Kowalski's mouth dropped open in shock at what was happening before them. Frank was screeching and rolling around with a white-scaled creature, playing, almost.

"B-But that's… that's a dragon. You didn't tell me y-you had a dragon!"

Newt blinked. "I technically, don't. Lux, we need to go get the escaped creatures!" He called out. "You two can finish playing later!"

Kowalski looked at him like he was insane, but the dragon huffed and shook itself out as it gave Frank a look.

"You heard him," it replied, shocking Kowalski further. "Gotta go, Frank." It turned toward them, and Kowalski screamed in shock as it approached. It simply raised a brow. "Really? I'm not going to eat ya, you know." Then, it shifted back into Lux. "You big chicken."

"B-B-But you… you were…"

"Yes, I can change into a dragon," Lux replied, eyeing him. "And you better not tell a soul. I've been hunted down by your people _and_ wizards. I meant it when I said Newt rescued me."

"But that's… wow," Kowalski breathed, and Lux rolled her eyes, turning to Newt.

"So, who's missing?"

"Niffler, Dougal, the Billywig—which should technically be fine—and… the Erumpent."

Lux groaned, pulling on her coat. "All the difficult ones, of course. Where do we start?"

"Central Park."

* * *

We left the suitcase and stealthily made our way out of Tina and Queenie's home, making idle conversation on our way.

"So, when you say he rescued you…"

I sighed. "I was found out, caught and stuck in a cage for ten years. _That's_ what Queenie saw when she looked into my head. It wasn't the best of times and Newt happened to have ended up on the same ship. Got me and the other creatures out safe. I was hurt, so he helped me heal too. Got nowhere else to go, so I've stuck around."

Jarvey scampered up from the suitcase, curling around my shoulders happily as I scratched his head.

"Jarvey was one of the other creatures trapped with me, obviously. I'm less naïve now though. Know better than to shift in front of anyone except those I feel I can trust."

"You trust me?"

I looked at Kowalski. "No. I can tell you're a decent bloke, but you're also going to be obliviated." I shrugged, and Kowalski sighed heavily. "That, and you get along with the other creatures well enough. You get some respect from me just for that."

He perked up again as Newt jumped into the conversation.

"I was watching you at dinner."

Kowalski blinked. "Yeah."

"People like you, don't they, Mr. Kowalski?"

"Well, I-I, um, I'm sure people like you too, huh?" He smiled, though Newt was quick to disagree.

"No, not really. I annoy people, except Lux, apparently."

I looked over with a small smile as he continued.

"Why did you decide to be a baker?"

"Well, because I'm dying in that canning factory. Everyone there's dying. It just crushes the life outta you. You like canned food?"

"No," Newt and I both replied in disgust, knowing that we'd had only canned food for a portion of our stay in Equatorial Guinea.

"Yeah, me neither. That's why I want to make pastries, you know. It makes people happy." He led us to the next street over.

"So, did you get your loan?"

"No," he scoffed. "I ain't got no collateral. Stayed in the army too long, apparently. I don't know.

"You fought in the war?"

"Of course, I fought in the war," Kowalski replied. "Everyone fought in the way. You didn't fight in the war?"

"I worked mostly with dragons," Newt answered. "Ukrainian Ironbellies. Eastern Front."

"Poor things," I murmured, stopping my walk when Newt caught my arm and gestured to a car.

The hood ornament was missing, and steam hissed out of the car slowly. Newt followed bits of jewelry on the ground while I got Jarvey to search with us for the runaway Niffler. Newt stopped though, abruptly backing up and Jarvey hissed at his side as they both looked into the window of a jewelry shop.

"Rat!" Jarvey hissed as silver, jeweled necklaces slid off the posing Niffler's arm in the window.

The Niffler turned slowly towards us, earning a raised brow from Newt and I, before scampering off the table with the jewels and knocking it over. Newt whipped out his wand immediately, pointing it at the glass.

"Finestra."

It shattered near silently and he and Jarvey bounded into the shop to catch the Niffler. Newt pulled open and shut drawers as Jarvey slipped into one; Kowalski catching up with us with a gasp as I guarded the open window. Newt knocked over displays chasing the Niffler and ended up swinging on the crystal chandelier. The Niffler cackled in delight until it was tackled by Jarvey. They fought and Jarvey lost his grip when Newt and the chandelier fell, stomping on his tail. With an angry hiss, Jarvey bounded out to me, leaving Newt to continue bumbling over things. A soft click to my left turned Kowalski's and my gaze to the case that a single latch had flipped open on. I leaned over and slowly clicked it back shut just as another window shattered and Newt and the Niffler fell out. The Niffler tried to make a run for it, but I whipped out my wand.

"Accio!"

The Niffler was soon flying back towards me, jewelry leaving its pouch as we rushed towards it, unable to dodge it all. He grabbed onto a lamp post and tried to swing himself into the window of the next jewelry store, but Newt had prepared for that. The moment the Niffler hit it, he was stuck until Newt was able to peel him off.

"All right. Happy?" Newt huffed. "One down, two to go."

Car tires screeched on the road and I groaned as police pulled up.

"Newt, cops are here."

I picked the jewelry off my shoulders as Kowalski pointed to his right.

"They went that way, officer."

Guns were cocked as I sighed. "Americans."

The Niffler poked out from Newt's coat and the nearest officer gave it a look.

"What the hell is that?"

Newt tucked him way further as Kowalski spotted something else, swallowing and speaking with a tight voice.

"Lion."

Sure enough, an African Wild Lion was growling not feet from us.

"You know," Newt spoke up with a slight grin. "New York is considerably more interesting than I'd expected."

The lion though, was drawing the police's attention long enough for Newt to grab a hold of us and apparate away. We found the park soon enough, crossing over a bridge the same time an ostrich ran past, and a low rumble came to our ears. Newt pulled out a helmet and passed it to Kowalski.

"Put this on."

"Why would I have to wear something like this?"

"Because your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force," Newt responded, hurrying closer to where we heard the sounds and passing him a thick vest as well. "All right. Can you just, uh, pop this on."

"Okay."

"Now, there's absolutely nothing for you to worry about." He helped strap Kowalski in as I hummed.

"He's lying."

"Of course, he's lying. Tell me, has anyone ever believed you when you told them not to worry?"

"My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice," Newt replied, bounding into the broken zoo, spotting the Erumpent we were after as it tried to corner a hippo. "She's in season. She needs to mate."

"Lucky us," I muttered as Newt pulled out a vial. "Will you need me shifted?"

"Only should something go wrong. Coaxing her is better than scaring her or fighting her back into the case." He looked to me. "And I don't want you getting hurt."

I wasn't sure what to say to that, a little stunned as he poured some of the vial onto his wrists.

"Erumpent musk," he answered before Kowalski could ask, passing him the vial. "She's mad for it."

Kowalski went to sniff it and Newt took his chance to slip up behind her and open his case in preparation. What we saw next was rather… odd. Newt bent down, a hand behind his back and stood up with a weird wailing noise. _Whatever he's doing, it's saved that pour hippo, _I mused as the Erumpent called back. Newt added snorting noises and stomps, drawing an 'S' shape in the snow as the Erumpent turned. He flipped his coat and continued to do turns and hair flips, soon rolling on the ground. The Erumpent started to roll over as well, nearly into the case.

"Come on," Newt breathed. "Into the case."

I heard a soft "thud" next to me and looked over to see Kowalski turning to glare at a seal that had hit him with something. When I looked back though, I realized a big problem.

"Kowalski," I muttered. "Did you spill the musk?"

"I think a little got on me, why—" He realized why quickly. "Oh, no."

The Erumpent was no longer rolling on the ground. It was facing the both of us. _Do I say don't run? I-I don't think that works for Erumpents. Ooh boy._ I grabbed Kowalski's arm and turned him around.

"Run," I hissed into his ear, and he did just that.

The Erumpent charged after him, jumping into an enclosure and chasing him over a large boulder in it before bolting out further into the park. Newt caught up with me and I looked to him.

"I'm going after them. I'm going to shift and at least keep her from killing him."

Newt nodded, shouting after me just as I changed and used my wings to propel me forward. "Don't get touched by her horn! It contains a fluid that explodes!"

_Great. Hold her back, but don't get stabbed. Just how I wanted to spend my evening._ I cursed under my breath.

"Newt! Lux!" Kowalski shouted, and I skid on a hill to see him hanging to a tree as the Erumpent watched the base of it explode.

I dashed forward, sliding my head under Kowalski's legs and half-tossing him onto my back once the tree fell. "Stay low and hang on!"

I went to take off into the air, but I didn't have enough lift before the Erumpent slammed into me. Its horn crashed into my chest, flinging me out onto the frozen lake nearby. I couldn't breathe for a minute, though I was grateful it hadn't pierced flesh with its horn or I'd really be in trouble. It tried to come down after us, but it's legs couldn't catch purchase on the slippery ice. It was sliding closer though, and I tried to scoop Kowalski up off the ice where he'd fallen, then get to my own feet. Just as the Erumpent slid close enough for its horn to reach me, it was pulled into Newt's suitcase and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Good show, Mr. Kowalski," he smirked.

"Call me Jacob," he said, offering Newt a hand to shake, which he did so in surprise.

Newt looked to me then as I shifted with a pained grimace. "Are you hurt?"

I shot him an annoyed look. "Hit me in the chest."

"Did it pierce—"

"No," I cut him off. "Just… badly bruised, I think."

"But I thought dragons—"

"They're not indestructible, Jacob," I huffed, pointing a claw towards my chest. "Softer underbelly. Not super vulnerable, but enough to cause problems. Now, shouldn't we be going?"

Newt nodded, and I helped him and Jacob over the slippery ice under the bridge, changing back as the three of us entered the case; not knowing what we were going to come out into, nor who had spotted us.


	4. Chapter 4

**Don't know where the urge to update this came from (bit out of the blue, honestly), but I did it :) don't remember if it was a review for this to be updated or a review for my My Hero Academia fanfic (both have "animagus" in the title so...) but hope you all enjoy this nonetheless. let me know what you think. I'll probably get another chapter up soon since I'm in the mood currently.**

* * *

"Madam President, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but this is… critical…" Tina trailed off when she realized just how small her matter suddenly seemed to be in the face of the wizardly gathering in front of her.

"You'd better have an _excellent_ excuse for this intrusion, Miss Goldstein," the president said sharply, and Tina swallowed thickly, hoping that now that she had the proof she needed, she might finally get someone to listen to her.

Her gaze bounced to the suitcase in her hand and she straightened her shoulders. "Yes, I do. Ma'am, yesterday a wizard and witch entered New York with a case. This case full of magical creatures, and unfortunately, some have escaped."

The president's eyes narrowed. "He arrived yesterday?"

She nodded.

"You've known for twenty-four hours that an unregistered wizard and witch set magical beasts loose in New York and you see fit to tell us only when a man has been killed?"

Something in Tina's stomach sank. Whether it was fear that she was making a mistake or concern that one of Scamander's creatures had killed someone, she didn't know.

"Who has been killed?"

The president ignored her question. "Where is this witch and wizard?"

Tina slowly placed the case on the ground, unlatched it, and knocked before stepping back. The case opened and Newt slowly came out, a bit surprised to see where he was. Lux began to step out as well but was quick to place a hand on Jacob's face to stop him following. He eyed her in confusion, but soon slowly retreated without being seen. Lux, body stiff and senses sharp, scanned the room and closed the case behind her, speaking under her breath to Newt.

"You'll take the case and run," she breathed, so softly he barely heard her, and he chewed his bottom lip, knowing what she was offering him as she'd done twice before.

He didn't want it to come down to that. He would _never_ want her to end up in a situation like before or possibly in a worse one because of him or other wizards. At the moment though, unsure about what was happening or why Tina had brought them to the center of MACUSA, he was going to desperately hope he could do something.

"Scamander?" One wizard recognized as a few others spoke up.

"Theseus Scamander? The war hero?"

"No, this is his little brother. And what are you doing in New York?"

"I came to buy an Appaloosa Puffskein, sir."

The wizard narrowed his eyes. "Right. What are you _really_ doing here?"

"None of your business," Lux snapped, Newt being quick to place a hand on her arm to calm her.

This was the last place she needed to let her temper flare, but he could see the stress it was putting on her. The small room full of witches and wizards was the ultimate threat, one she knew, and she was only reacting as any scared person or animal should. Defensively.

"Goldstein, who is this?" The president asked, eyeing Lux, whose teeth were bared in a snarl.

"Lux Delaney, Madam President. She's been assisting Mr. Scamander with his creatures after a No-Maj got bitten by one."

Murmurs started up as Tina frowned.

"Isn't Mr. Kowalski with you?"

Lux was quick to lie. "He's sleeping off your sister's hot chocolate. As if we'd take him with us."

Tina didn't look convinced, but Newt let out a small breath.

"Merlin's beard."

"You know which of your creatures was responsible, Mr. Scamander?" A witch asked him as he eyed the floating spectacle before them.

It was a young man's corpse or image of, and he recognized the signs anywhere.

"No creature did this. Don't pretend. You must know what that was. Look at the marks." He brought his fist up to his mouth as Lux stepped up beside him, eyeing the floating man curiously. "That was an Obscurus."

Murmurs began again and the president frowned.

"You go too far, Mr. Scamander. There is no Obscurial in America."

"What?" Lux scoffed. "You can't be serious. There's proof right in front of you and you're going to risk the city by turning a blind eye? Over what? American _pride_? You've got immigrants coming in all the time with hardly any regulation! Anyone could walk onto your soil, including an Obscuras!"

"Impound that case, Graves," the president ordered, but before Newt could say anything Graves lifted his wand to summon the case, Lux growled.

"Now, Newt."

"Lux, wait—"

That was the last thing Lux was about to do. She shifted, stunning everyone in the room as the white-scaled dragon roared. Graves was too shocked to see Newt pull out his wand and summon the case back to him, and when he _did_ notice, Lux got in his way.

"W-What… How!" Tina gasped as Newt grabbed her by the elbow and hauled her away.

"It's her Animagus," he explained as they hurried from the room where others were running in fear, and spells were being shot as Lux provided the ultimate distraction.

"B-But she was a dragon!"

"Look, it's a long story, but we have to get this case out of here. That's why she's risking herself like this. She swore." He clenched his eyes shut briefly. "She swore she would protect them, even at the cost of herself. I thought she was exaggerating. Honestly, I did, but now…" He shook his head, lifting his gaze in determination as he shoved the case into her hands. "Take this. Get it as far away from here as you can."

"What? Me?"

"I can't leave Lux here. She'll _die_ if it means keeping those creatures safe. She's been trapped before, treated like an animal, and locked in a cage. If that happens again…" His voice cracked at the thought. "She won't be Lux anymore."

"But—Wait! Wait, Mr. Scamander!" She called, but he was already rushing off and she bit out a curse, looking around for a familiar face.

She knew they would come looking for her the moment they found Newt without his case, so she couldn't take it. However, she knew who could and she smiled as she spotted a head of blonde hair.

* * *

I paced uneasily in the cell, the sound of the chains on my ankles and wrists driving me up the wall at all the terrible memories they conjured up. I knew I wouldn't have lasted as a dragon for long. There _was_ a reversal spell, after all, but it required at least two people to be calm enough to cast it. Changing in the middle of MACUSA wasn't the greatest idea, but I couldn't let them take the case. I growled and slammed my fists into the wall at the back of the cell, ignoring the spark and stinging of a sealing spell that raced over my hands when I did.

People approached then and I bared my teeth in a snarl, struggling even as they hauled me out of the cell and shut me in an interrogation room where I was fully bound in immobilization spells and left snarling and growling at the man seated across from me.

"You're an interesting person, Miss Delaney," Graves hummed calmly, unbothered by my animalistic actions.

I hardly cared about being decent at this point. My nerves were already fried from everything that happened and the only thing having kept me from killing anyone in that room was the thought of what Newt would think. And the fact that being hunted down by MACUSA would have really put a damper on our traveling. _If I'll even __**get**__ to travel again._

"You were constantly in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts for disruptions, yet Albus Dumbledore argued for you time and time again. What made him care about you, of all people? A witch with No-Maj parents, constantly stirring up trouble with your teachers, and now with an unregistered Animagus. And a _dragon_ at that. No Animagus has been a magical creature until now."

I didn't respond to his goading, still hating the taste he left in my mouth at how dark his soul was. I wouldn't give him anything more than he already had.

"And staying with Mr. Scamander too. Two peas in a pod, you are. Albus Dumbledore had a fondness for him too, argued for him not to get kicked out of Hogwarts for endangering human life."

_Newt?_ The thought of disbelief crossed my mind for a second before I scowled.

"He wouldn't hurt anyone intentionally."

"Of course. And setting a pack of dangerous creatures here was just another accident, is that right?" Graves pressed, earning a scoff from me.

"To what end would either of us do this deliberately?"

"To provoke war between the magical and non-magical worlds."

"If you think Newt would use his creatures like that, then you're an absolute buffoon," I spat. "All he's ever done is care for them. War is such a pointless venture for us and especially for magical creatures."

"And what can you tell me about the supposed Obscurus that Mr. Scamander claims caused the death?

"Nothing," I replied, calm at the easy truth. "The name means nothing to me. I must have skipped that lesson in History of Magic or Defense Against the Dark Arts or whatever other class at Hogwarts would have explained it."

"But Mr. Scamander seems to know quite a bit, wouldn't you say?"

_He had one in his case. I know that much, but he refused to allow even me near it or to tell me about it. He said he would, but…_ I pushed aside the mild ache that went through me at the lack of trust and managed a shrug.

"Couldn't tell you. I've only been with him a few months. He knows a lot about magical creatures, maybe he read it somewhere."

Graves cracked a smile. "You're an excellent liar, Miss Delaney, and rather brave, to be so willing to sacrifice yourself for him."

"He's a… friend," I said sternly, eyes sharp. _My first and only friend._

"Of course. Although, would you sacrifice yourself for Mr. Scamander if he brought this Obscurus into the city of New York in the hope of causing mass disruption, breaking the Statute of Secrecy, and revealing the magical world?"

"He didn't bring that Obscurus!" I finally snapped. "Why are you so dead set on framing an innocent person for this?" Something clicked in my mind then. "You… You're pushing the blame, so they won't go looking for who did it."

A brief flicker passed over his face—surprise, curiosity, or possible annoyance—but it was gone as quickly as it came with the others standing in the room.

"Miss Goldstein is guilty of aiding and abetting you and Mr. Scamander in treasonous betrayal of your fellow wizards and all three of you are sentenced to death."

"What!" I snapped, wishing I could lunge at the man, but the spells preventing me from doing so.

"Warrants will be out for their retrieval and the case promptly destroyed as well. You, however, will get a different sentence." Graves stood. "It would be a waste for a dragon Animagus to be killed off before we've understood it." He looked to the guards. "Place her back in the cell and I'll deal with her personally. Oh, and bring out one of the magical creatures we have in custody. She'll probably need some coercion if we're to get her to shift."

* * *

Newt slipped quietly through the cellblock only to nearly jump out of his skin when someone touched his arm.

"Merlin's—Miss Goldstein?" His eyes snapped to her empty hands. "Where's the case? I told you to leave with it. If it's gone, then Lux—"

"I handed it off to my sister. She'll get it out of here far better than I could and… I'm sorry about Lux. Really."

Newt relaxed a bit, eyes scanning the cages around them in concern. "I fear what they may have done with her."

"But she should just be captured u-until they can transfer her to Azkaban for being an unregistered Animagus."

Newt shook his head. "She's far more than that and any wizard would see the potential of having a human-thinking dragon. I fear something far worse would be done to her before they either send her to prison or…" He didn't want to finish that thought and hastily pulled Tina behind a pillar as Graves stepped through the room with a guard, heaving a sigh.

"Put the creature back for now. I have business to take care of before I try dealing with her again, so we won't need it."

"Yes, sir," the guard replied, making Newt's expression fall at the sight of Chupacabra nestled in a cage he was holding as the guard left.

Newt nodded to Tina, having her follow him in the direction Graves had come from and they ducked into a more secluded set of cells. When Newt saw the red-splatter white scales, he choked.

"Lux." He rushed over, skidding in front of the cell holding the dragon-shifted form of his companion, reaching out and wincing before his hand could touch her head. "Oh, Lux. I am so sorry."

Tina could hardly breathe at the thought that it had been Graves who'd done this to someone. He never seemed the type, and to see in person what had been done, made her skin crawl. She slowly approached as well, kneeling beside where Newt had been—him now going about opening the cage and cutting off the spells that imprisoned her—and she stared down at the dragon before her hesitantly and sorrowfully.

"I'm… I'm so sorry." She reached out and her hand touched the dragon's snout, only for bright blue eyes to snap open with a growl and roar.

Tina let out a scream, scrambling back as the dragon stood on unsteady legs, faltering but not looking any less dangerous. The dragon started forward threateningly, jaws opening to attempt to kill Tina, only for Newt to jump in between.

"Lux! Lux! It's all right! It's me!"

The dragon roared in his face as Tina clambered back onto her feet, clinging to the back of his coat fearfully.

"I-I thought this was Lux!"

"It _is_ Lux," Newt hissed, eyes focused now on the dragon in front of him. "But you have to understand, she's been through quite a bit. I found her being beaten at an auction house—boat—where she was trapped for over a decade. One tends to lose a bit of humanity the longer you're treated like an animal in a cage. Now, rehabilitate that person for a few months then throw them back into a similar situation, and they begin to turn back to that. Just like an animal, she's only doing what she knows will protect her." Newt held out his hands peacefully, taking a small step forward as the dragon roared again with a swing of her head, stepping back.

Tina thought he was insane for this act of bravery, but stayed where she was, unable to help but watch in fascination.

"Come on, Lux. Look." Newt took out his wand, tossing it away within full sight of her. "Tina, do the same," he ordered when he saw the blue eyes shift to her.

"Are you mad?"

"Please. She's always been hurt by wands. If we're to regain her trust, pull her back to her senses, we need to prove it."

Tina hesitated, but slowly did the same, withdrawing her wand and tossing it over with his.

"See?" He murmured to the dragon—to his _friend_. "I swear, we won't hurt you. I would never want you hurt."

Slowly, the dragon lowered her head, tentatively sniffing his palms, and just as he felt safe enough to reach out for her, her head snapped to the side with a roar. They'd tripped the alarm and two Aurors were now headed their way.

"What do we do?" Tina screeched as Newt slipped past the dragon to scoop up their wands and pull something from his pocket.

"Let her do what she does best!" He announced as Lux rushed for the wizards and breathed fire, forcing them to abandon their spells to dodge and Newt released the Swooping Evil to assist.

The small reptile screeched, knocking the hat off one and distracting the Auror long enough for Lux to slam a heavy hand into him—launching him across the hall and knocking him unconscious. The creature then latched itself to the face of another Auror, hovering over him hungrily and Newt sighed.

"Leave his brains. Come on!"

"What is that thing?" Tina asked.

"Swooping Evil."

She smiled. "Well, I love it!"

They turned the corner then, only for Lux to slide in front of them the same instant Queenie rounded the corner with the suitcase as well.

"O-Oh, my word," she breathed at the sight of Lux, who roared and made her falter back a step. Surprisingly enough though, her expression softened, and she moved towards her.

"W-Wait. I wouldn't—" Newt started, but Lux went quiet at her approach.

"Oh, I-I… I am so sorry," Queenie choked, tears slipping down her face as she reached out, leaving the other two stunned when the dragon let out a whine and pressed her head against the woman's hand.

"Remind me to never get on your sister's bad side," Newt murmured as Tina nodded.

"Y-Yeah."

Newt cleared his throat and Queenie nodded, setting his case down and opening it. Lux was quick to slip inside, and the others followed. Queenie would be able to take the case outside without notice, so that gave Newt the opportunity to help Lux with her injuries.

"Hand me those salves over there," he ordered Tina, who grabbed them, and he worked on mixing them together as quickly as possible. "Do you remember if she had any deeper injuries?"

"I-I don't know. I was more focused on the teeth."

Newt shook his head before hastily dashing out of the shed with his supplies, grimacing when he saw Lux collapse on her usual hill with pained breaths. "Sh, sh, sh," he shushed her as he approached, not getting any more fight from her as he moved forward and ran a hand over her head. "Would you be able to shift back?"

Tired blue eyes slipped open to meet his and with a cringe, Lux shifted, stumbling until he caught her and slowly laid her down. Her clothes were torn and covered in blood, adding to his worry as he began to wipe her of it with a damp rag and bucket of water.

"Could you grab a spare set of clothes?" He asked Tina, eyes not shifting from Lux. "In the shed, first cabinet on the right."

Tina nodded and hurried off, equally concerned and doing her best not to think about what sort of relationship Lux and Newt had. _Living together, spare clothes, h-he's even treating her injuries under her clothes without any care for etiquette!_ Cheeks flushed, she returned outside only to yelp when something small and furry stepped between her and the others.

"Leech!"

"W-What!"

"Jarvey, behave," Newt scolded, causing the weasel-like creature to huff and bound back over to where he was treating Lux. "Would you mind helping her change while I get more bandages?"

Tina gaped for a second, but Newt was already rushing off, leaving her with a half-conscious Lux and her Jarvey. _That man._ She frowned but turned to Lux and felt that guilt creeping back up into her again. It _was_ her fault Lux was hurt like this. She'd cared more about her job than about these creatures that Lux and Newt were so fond of or the two magic-wielders themselves. So, she could at least do her best to help them now.

"Could you give me your arm?"

* * *

We stepped out onto the roof of Jacob's home—him and Queenie slipping into the pigeon coop to give us time to talk about the situation at hand. Newt helped me sit down as I spat a pained curse under my breath. Everything hurt and what I wouldn't give for a decent rest in Newt's case with the other creatures, but I had important information and I knew we still had at least one creature missing.

"I-It was Graves."

"What?" Tina questioned, her shrill voice making me wince as I doubled over slightly—holding my right side as Newt kept a hand on my shoulder to steady me.

"You need to rest, Lux. You should go back inside."

I shook my head stubbornly. "Can't. W-We have to make sure all the creatures are safe."

"There's only one still missing, Lux. We can find him, then leave."

I let out a short scoff. "What I wouldn't give t-to just go…"

My head rested against his shoulder; exhaustion and pain, both emotional and physical, radiating off me.

"Hold on. What did you mean, it was Graves?" Tina demanded.

"He was off. I knew he was off," I murmured, struggling to sort my thoughts as Newt explained my slight Legimens abilities—his voice vibrating in my ear and allowing my body to relax further. _Why is he the only thing that makes me feel safe anymore?_

"Lux? Lux, are you all right?"

I hadn't realized I'd closed my eyes for a second, nor how long Newt had been trying to get my attention as he lightly pushed me off him and pulled out his wand. I stiffened on instinct, still wound tight with what happened, and he moved very slowly, narrating what he was doing.

"I'm just checking your reactions. I won't cast anything. I swear."

My eyes trailed after the light on the end of his wand, but it was hard to focus, and he let out a small quiet whine, reminding me of my own.

"You have a temperature and you're unfocused. You have to go inside, Lux."

"No," I muttered—slurred? "No, we have to stop Graves."

"And we will, but you can't do anything like this."

"He'll keep shifting the blame to the creatures," I grumbled, pushing myself onto my feet and cringing as I straightened as much as I could, returning to the practice of pushing all my pain to the back of my mind.

_I have to keep helping. I can't let those creatures get hurt by someone like him._

* * *

Newt continued to hold the edge of Lux's sleeve and Tina interrupted him as he tried to keep the Animagus focused.

"Which of your creatures is left?"

"Dougal, my Demiguise," he said.

"Dougal?"

"Slight problem is that…" Newt winced, giving Tina a sheepish smile of embarrassment. "He's invisible."

"Invisible?"

"Yes. Most of the time, he does, um…" He wasn't sure how to explain it and Tina hardly cared at this point.

"How do you catch something that—"

"With immense difficulty," He cut her off, having known the question was coming. "Lux is actually more apt at noticing him than I am, but like this…" He glanced at his dazed friend, brows furrowing when he thought he saw her blue eyes sparkle or glow as she stared out in the distance. _Trick of the moonlight?_

"Gnarlak," Tina said then, looking hopeful and drawing Newt's gaze away from Lux.

"Excuse me?"

"Gnarlak," Tina explained. "He was an informant of mine when I was an Auror! He used to trade in magical creatures on the side."

Newt was hesitant, letting Lux's sleeve go. "He wouldn't happen to have an interest in paw prints, would he?"

"He's interested in anything he can sell," Tina informed him, not noticing his small wince, only for Jacob to step out of the pigeon coop with Queenie on his elbow.

"Uh, Newt?"

"What is it?" He asked, turning to the muggle only to follow his finger as he heard something shifting behind him where Lux was.

Lux had changed again into the dragon, large enough to cover a good portion of the roof, but not enough to push them off the edge. Newt though, felt his heart stop.

"Lux? Lux, what are you doing!" He called out, but the woman wasn't paying any attention as her wings unfolded and her glazed-over blue eyes latched onto an empty patch of sky. "Lux, you can't! If you go off like this—Lux!"

Newt's calls of worry went unheard as the dragon groaned and pushed off the roof, almost seeming to fall before her wings caught a draft and she soared up into the clouds—easily hiding amongst them with her glittering white scales.

"Lux!"

"Where is she going!" Tina exclaimed, more than shocked as Newt pulled at his hair in worry.

"I don't know. I… I really don't know. S-She could have regressed again. Further? Oh, I shouldn't have let her out of the case."

"Will she be okay?" Queenie asked as Newt anxiously chewed his lip and lifted a hand to silently comfort the small Bowtruckle on his shoulder that was chittering uneasily.

"Only if she stays out of sight. If she gets seen by _anyone_—"

Even Tina eyed the skies uneasily. "She'll be killed."


	5. Chapter 5

**Just gonna keep writing this until the motivation goes away, I suppose... or until I finish the next movie... :)**

* * *

I panted, breathing heavily with my hot breath fogging up the clouded air just above me. I was practically invisible at this height with the cloud cover blending in with my scales, but I couldn't think, couldn't focus. _Dougal… The creatures… Need to find… Save… Newt… Graves… No, not Graves… Darkness… The darkness is close… Powerful, dangerous… Young and… innocent…_ I faltered as pain rippled through me, my wings cramping up and jerking as I flew lower towards the buildings nearby. The streets were empty as I finally caught the scent, twisting and eventually landing haphazardly onto the roof of a large white shopping center. A low grumble rippled in my throat as I stayed tucked in the shadows—scales shimmering and shifting darker and darker until the once snow-white was a dangerously dark black.

Glowing blue eyes skimmed the streets and shop windows, tail flicking and falling lazily down over the side of the building as blood slipped between sharp teeth to drip on the concrete below. My injuries kept me conscious, aware even as my mentality slipped and faltered. _Should've stayed… Dougal… Where is… Newt… The dark is coming… Closer and closer… Have to keep them safe._

* * *

Newt, Tina, Queenie, and Jacob watched the purse seemingly float off a manikin hand in the Macy's they'd been directed to by a less-than-peaceful black-market dealer. It was Dougal, all right, but Newt knew they had to be cautious, warning the others and wishing Lux hadn't run off nor gotten hurt. She always handled these sorts of things with him without question or complaint like Tina and the others were wont to do. They made a good team, and his chest ached with worry now that she was missing and possibly not in the right frame of mind while so injured.

"So, Demiguises are fundamentally peaceful," he explained to the group, "but they can give a nasty nip if provoked. You two, head that way." He gestured for Queenie and Jacob to move. "And try very hard not to be predictable."

A screech rang out and a roar, making Tina shiver beside him.

"Was that the Demiguise?"

"No. I think it might be the reason the Demiguise is here. Its sight operates on probability, so it can foresee the most likely immediate future," Newt informed her, giving a small smile to the creature as it spotted him and bounded up to another level and moving slowly.

"So, what's it doing?"

"It's babysitting."

Tina shot him a look of disbelief. "What did you just say?"

"This is my fault," Newt muttered. "I thought I had them all, but, uh… I must have miscounted."

Newt slowly stepped up beside Dougal, opening his case as something shifted in the space above them, making Tina gape at the serpentine creature.

"It was babysitting _that_?"

"Occamies are choranaptyxic," Newt whispered. "So, they grow to fill available space. Mummy's here."

The Occamy moved closer and Newt missed Dougal's eyes glowing blue just as Queenie accidentally kicked a bauble. The chime alerted the Occamy who screeched—sending Dougal to Jacob's arms—and scooping up Newt as another noise cut in. Newt's eyes went wide as a portion of the dark room shifted and vibrant blue eyes roared at the Occamy, who screeched back in uncertainty.

"Lux!"

"Lux?" Tiny questioned, eyeing the black dragon as it snapped and grumbled and hissed at the surprisingly anxious Occamy. "But she was white!"

"I don't know _all_ the ticks of her Animagus!" Newt complained. "It's quite possible dragons can shift their scale coloration to provide better camouflage, b-but I'm not an expert!"

"What's she doing?" Jacob muttered, uncertain himself at the two reptiles snapping and grumbling.

Newt glanced between them himself, trying to figure it out. "I-I… I think she's… talking to it?"

"_How_?"

"I don't know. I told you before. When she's like this, she's hardly herself. A dragon Animagus is unheard of to begin with, b-b-but if I had to guess, they _are_ similar to Occamies—dragons. Distant cousins, perhaps? W-Without a capable human mentality t-to control more natural instincts, it's possible she can communicate with magical creatures."

Tina's eyes widened. "Can't other Animagi speak with animals?"

Newt nodded, pushing at the Occamy wrapped around his middle in a vain attempt to get loose. "Quite, though she's not mentioned this before. We need an insect. Any kind of insect and a teapot. Find a teapot!"

The Occamy squirmed and finally snapped at the dragon—wings knocking down shelves and punching a hold in the roof as the dragon lost its temper and roared. It jumped the Occamy, holding the squirming feathered reptile as best it could and ignoring the blood that it drew with its beak.

"Teapot!" Tina called as the dragon was shoved off and sparks began to gather in its mouth.

"Lux, wait!" Newt commanded the dragon, who groaned but listened as the Occamy had stopped and eyed the cockroach in Jacob's grip. "Roach, in teapot," Newt muttered to Jacob as he whimpered.

Jacob shushed the reptile, before throwing the roach, encouraging it to follow it right into Tina's awaiting teapot. Newt hastily covered the opening as they panted, explaining his previous trivia.

"Chroanaptyxic. They also shrink to fit the available space."

Tina lifted her gaze, eyes sharp. "Tell me the truth. Was that everything that came out of that case?"

"That's everything. And that's the truth."

Tina let out a sigh of relief, only to stiffen as a low rumbling groan just over her shoulder froze her in place. Newt's eyes shifted to the glowing blue in the dark, carefully getting Tina to move behind him with the teapot secured as he slowly approached Lux.

"Lux, you shouldn't have run off. In the shape you're in…" He winced as the dragon stared uncomprehendingly into the space in front of it. "You really should shift back, you know."

The dragon growled, teeth baring as he stepped ever closer at his slow even pace.

"I know you're still in there, Lux. I know you can hear me," he said quietly, hands out peacefully and wincing when it snapped at the air in front of him.

The jaws were mere centimeters from his face when he cracked back open his eyes, teeth bright white but dripping with something dark that brought worry back into his chest.

"Please, Lux. Let me help you. Just like before, remember? I got you off that ship, didn't I? I kept you safe." Newt slowly reached towards the black snout. "Please. I don't want you hurting anymore. Not you. Not again."

Lips fell back over the glistening teeth and the head turned to the silver Dougal as he chirped and grumbled himself. The dragon seemed to sag then, energy dissipating and some form of Lux returning as the snout pressed against Newt's chest, making him falter a step before relief flooded him. His arm wrapped around the head and the other rubbed her forehead as he let out a sigh of relief. She was finally willing to rest.

* * *

"How is she?" Tina asked, eyeing the woman covered in bandages and sleeping on a cot Newt had long ago set up for the woman while she traveled with him.

He wiped her brow with a wet cloth, dunking it in a bucket at his feet and wringing it out before replacing it. "Not the greatest," he mumbled, eyes flickering over her in worry that made Tina's stomach roll.

She did her best to hide her jealousy, knowing her sister was just behind her in the small shed as well. Queenie noticed, but kept her sister's feelings to herself, instead looking to the tortured woman lying unconscious before them.

"She's scared."

Newt glanced over his shoulder at her, hunched and slightly uneasy about the woman taking a peek at Lux's emotions while she wasn't aware. Queenie gave him a reassuring smile though.

"She was only thinking about the creatures, wanting to keep them safe from…" She winced, eyes welling up with tears before she turned away with a shake of her head.

Newt understood from that alone, looking back to Lux, hands clasped between his knees as he slouched. "She's never had it easy," he murmured. "I've never liked… Seeing animals in cages and mistreated was… She was _human_," he breathed, hands clenching into fists. "She was just like any of the rest of us, but they… Merlin." He dropped his head into his hands. "No one should have had to go through what she did, and now… It's all my fault."

Queenie placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him upon feeling how uncertain her sister was. "Without you, she wouldn't even _be_ here though. She really likes you, you know. You saved her then and you're still saving her now. She knows that. Every time I see her, she's practically singing it."

Newt cracked the smallest of smiles at that, begrudgingly leaving Lux's side to ensure that Jacob had dealt with Dougal and the teapot with the Occamy in it that Tina had would go in the right spot. Queenie stayed in his small shed though, keeping an eye on Lux and looking around. Her eyes caught on a picture then, uncertainty ringing in her head. While she cared for her sister, she could feel the connection Lux and Newt had and wanted to see it become fruitful. Finding the framed picture of another woman made her worry that perhaps she was too late.

"Newt?" She called out, poking out the door a bit and drawing his attention to her as she nodded to the photo. "Who is she?"

"Oh, it's no one," he lied poorly.

"Leta Lestrange?" She heard from his mind, unable to help it. "I've heard of that family. Aren't they kinda… you know?"

"Please don't read my mind," he muttered, trying not to be sharp with her, but bristling all the same. "Sorry, I asked you not to."

"I know. I'm sorry," she apologized. "I can't help it. People are easiest to read when they're hurting."

"I'm not hurting," he argued, knowing it was a lie when his worry for Lux was so painfully obvious alongside the memories of his first friend. "Anyway, it was a long time ago."

She approached him slowly, cautiously. "That was a real close friendship you had at school."

He wanted to get annoyed, but he knew that—much like Lux's own feelings about people—Queenie probably _couldn't_ help it. "Neither of us really fitted in at school. So, we became quite—"

"You became real close… For years…" Queenie eyed him. "She was a taker. You need a giver… You _have_ a giver."

Newt flushed when she nodded to the shed, embarrassment creeping up the back of his neck. He wasn't entirely daft. He knew the relationship he had with Lux was straining the friendship he'd been trying to keep it in. Living together, sleeping in the same room, eating at the same table. They'd grown close. Far closer than either had expected, but he was the more experienced one, for once. Lux was… stunted, almost. For a while, Newt had gotten away with pretending she was like one of his creatures; trying to avoid the painfully obvious. She was a _woman_. A friend who had slipped into his home and so easily became another cog in his life. One that he enjoyed speaking with, sitting in silence with, watching, and listening to.

He still thinks about all the times and moments he'd seen her interacting with his creatures; with Dougal and even his Niffler and Frank. The smiles he'd catch her making, the few times he'd managed to surprise her or make her laugh. He hadn't realized when she'd begun to give him so much joy and fun. He wondered how he could have missed her all those years at Hogwarts. He worried how heartbroken he'd be if he tried to take a step forward only for her to leave.

"You should believe in her more," Queenie said, drawing him from his thoughts as she smiled softly. "I don't think she'd be able to leave you even if she tried."

_That's what I'm afraid of,_ he thought, but before Queenie could comment on it, Tina rounded the corner with a smile.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing," Newt said, earning a disbelieving look as Queenie supplied a different answer.

"School."

"School," Newt agreed.

"Did you say school? Is there a school? A wizardry school here? In America?" Jacob asked, replacing his jacket as curious as ever.

"Of course, Ilvermorny!" Queenie said, puffed up proudly. "It's only the best wizard school in the whole world."

Newt resisted a snort at that. "I think you'll find the best wizarding school in the world is Hogwarts."

"Hogwash!"

There was a crack of thunder then, Frank screeching and causing a storm in his section of the case, alerting the group.

"Danger," Newt muttered. "He senses danger."

"It's the Obscurus."

Their head whipped around to the shed where Lux leaned against the doorframe, pale and solemn.

"Lux, you shouldn't be—"

Lux shook her head, blue eyes more serious than Newt had ever seen them. "You'll need me for this, Newt. We both know that."

"Your injuries—"

"Aren't as bad as they seem," she lied—the two eyeing one another to see if either would back down.

Newt's concern rolled off him in waves. "You won't shift unless we need it."

Lux's eyes narrowed. "_I'll_ decide when we need it."

Newt winced and shifted on his feet a bit, working on their compromise. "And you'll rest. _Properly_. Soon as this is over."

Lux's gaze relaxed and she nodded, head bowed. "For as long as you wish."

Newt let out a sigh of relief, grateful to have even gotten that much from her and he tipped her chin back up with a smile. "Then, we best hurry."

* * *

I watched the twisted black snake-like gas race through the streets and grimaced. Even on top of the roof we were on, I could practically taste the concentrated magic like a thick, oily film on my tongue.

"Jeez. Is that t-t-the Obscurial-thing?" Jacob cringed as Tina joined Newt and Lux on the edge of the roof to watch it tear the city apart.

"That's more powerful than ay Obscurial I have ever heard of," Newt breathed, before handing his case to Tina. "If I don't come back, look after my creatures. Everything you need to know is in there." He passed her a book as well, giving Lux a small glance. "I'd leave it to you, but…"

Lux cracked the slightest of smirks. "I said you'll need me." The smirk fell as her gaze shifted back to the Obscurial. "Though I don't know how much help I'll be against that."

"What?" Tina questioned in disbelief that _she_, of all people, was being left the case.

"They're not killing it," Newt declared, giving her one last look before turning to Lux with a nod.

The woman shifted easily, allowing Newt onto her back and taking off into the night sky with her scales pitch black to hide them as they flew.

"When were you able to change your scales?" Newt asked her, earning a hum.

"Dunno. Just now? Or, well, bit earlier. When instinct takes over, I… I don't really…"

Newt just pat her neck, letting her know he understood as they grew nearer and ducked behind a building so Lux could turn back. She grimaced and faltered slightly, earning a concerned look from Newt, but she waved him off as they moved closer to the Obscurial. And to Graves.

"To survive so long… with this inside you, Credence… is a miracle!" Graves shouted to the swirling black mass, earning a scowl from Lux.

"He's a dark wizard," she murmured. "How did MACUSA miss him?"

Graves was thrown away by the mass and Newt pulled Lux with him to hide behind a car.

"Hope you have a plan," Lux hissed in his ear, just as Tina ducked behind another car nearby and called to them.

"Newt!"

"It's the Second Salem boy," Newt informed her. "He's the Obscurial."

"He's not a child," Tina argued, knowing that children were usually the catalyst for such a thing.

"H-His power must be so strong, h-he's somehow managed to survive."

"Newt. Save him," Tina said sharply as she moved in and Lux growled low in her throat, shifting once more and flying off after the Obscurial with Newt.

"Credence!" Newt called to it. "Credence, I can help you!" Newt called to it, clinging desperately to Lux as she rolled to avoid a swipe of the creature.

"Newt, problem!" Lux spat, ducking around the back of the building to dodge casts from a number of wizards and witches that had begun to fire from the rooftops at Credence's black form.

They ducked unseen and Lux scowled, eyeing the blasts.

"They're leading it somewhere." Her slit pupils turned towards him. "What now?"

"We have to follow him. I'm the only one who can take out the Obscurus. They're just going to kill him."

Lux growled again—the familiarity of the situation hitting close to home for her, he knew. They watched as the Obscurial rushed for a lineup of police officers who were quick to scatter at his attacks before he slammed into the ground and became Credence once more.

"Lux," Newt muttered, and she nodded, shifting back to human form and accepting his arm so they could apparate into the subway tunnels after the young man.

They landed and eyed the ceiling as they moved slowly forward, watching tendrils of the Obscurus slide along the walls of concrete.

"Any thoughts?" Newt whispered to Lux.

"They're going to seal off the area," she murmured back. "Isolate him as much as possible with as many people as possible. We're going to need to be quick. They also don't know about Graves, so you can bet he'll be here as well, trying to take him for himself." She lifted her lip in a snarl. "I sometimes wish I actually _was_ a dragon. Knowing I'm the same species as some of these people…" The snarl fell as they stepped into the area where the black tendrils were the thickest. "…He's just a kid…"

Newt took a breath, before speaking up—being sure he and Lux were kept carefully behind a pillar until he was certain they wouldn't be attacked, before stepping out with Lux. "Credence? It _is_ Credence, isn't it? We're here to help you, Credence. We're not here to hurt you. I've… met someone just like you, Credence. A girl. A young girl who'd been imprisoned. She had been locked away and she'd been punished for her magic." Newt glanced at Lux, who had her full attention on the black lines that came down and became young Credence once more. "And Lux here… She was like that too, in a way. Credence… Can we come over to you? Can we come over?"

There was a spark and Lux snapped out her wand before the blast could hit, pulling u a shield and knocking the spell away from her, Newt and Credence. Graves had arrived and stormed down the tunnel as Credence ran past.

"Be careful, Credence!" Lux called out, blocking another spell with a pained grimace.

Between all the shifting and her injuries, she was sorely lacking energy. A blast finally knocked her shield away and Newt was quick to pull her out of fire, shooting off a blast of his own that easily got deflected. The rumbling of a train coming distracted the group and Graves used his wand to jerk Credence out of its way.

"Newt," Lux growled as they were forced back near Credence to try and keep him out of fire from Graves.

"Not yet," he grunted, looking back to Credence in concern as to how the boy would react to a dragon.

It distracted him though, enough for him to get knocked off his feet by Graves. His words held no sway over Lux then as she shifted and shot fire at Graves to hold him back. Newt winced, looking to Credence as he stared wide-eyed at Lux, but thankfully not scared enough to become an Obscurus again. Her fire was pushed aside then, and she roared angrily as Graves threw electricity at her again and again. The sparks jumped off the train tracks, firing Lux up into a frenzy of anger and pain as Credence turned away and sobbed, oily blackness starting to form again.

Graves finally stopped his attacks as the blackness hovered over him, muttering the boy's name as Lux panted and sagged. Her muscles quivered as she hovered over Newt protectively, acid-like drool dripping from her mouth onto the tracks as her slit pupils eyed both the Obscurial and Graves. The blackness screeched and Lux hastily grabbed Newt, holding him close to her belly before finding a corner and curling around him. Newt's heart ached as her body was pounded on by the Obscurus to keep him safe and the swirl of anger flew up out of the tunnels and back down, prepared to kill the trio in its way, just as Tina rushed in.

"Credence, no!" She called out and the blackness calmed slightly. "Don't do this… Please."

"Keep talking, Tina," Newt encouraged, holding Lux and she sagged against him in her human form once more. "He'll listen to you. He's listening."

"I know what that woman did to you. I know that you've suffered. You need to stop this now. Newt and Lux and I will protect you. This man… He's using you."

"Don't listen to her, Credence," Graves argued. "I want you to be free."

"That's it," Tina murmured as he calmed, only for the hoard of witches and wizards to pour in, wands raised. "Sh!" She tried as Credence swirled uneasily and Lux growled dangerously as well, despite Newt's hold on her. "Don't! You'll frighten him!"

"Wands down!" Graves also ordered. "Anyone harms him, they answer to me! Credence."

"Credence, sh."

Wands went off then, and Newt's eyes went wide as Lux pulled away.

"Lux, don't!"

The spells bounced mostly harmlessly off glittering white scales and the transformed woman-turned-dragon grew large enough to protect Credence with a roar.

* * *

It hurt. Everything hurt and I could barely tell what was going on anymore.

"It's okay," a voice whispered, sounding scared but resigned.

I didn't want this. I was so tired of all this hate because of what? Being different? What was so wrong with being different? Why was it always us?

"I-It's fine. Y-You can stop."

_No… No, I don't want to. __**They**__ should stop. It's always them! Why can't they see that? It's not your fault. It's not my fault. It's __**theirs!**_

"Y-You have someone. I don't."

_I don't. I've never had anyone. It's always just been me._

"Lux, please! P-Please stop!"

My eyes shifted to Newt who looked so sad, so upset. _Who did that? Who hurt him?_

"Please, go," the voice murmured, and I slowly gave in.

I stepped forward, stumbling against the barrage of spells as the group of firing witches and wizards sank back away from me. Newt didn't move though, tears in his eyes as my head ducked down and pressed to his chest. My exhaustion returned and I shifted back, keeping my face pressed to Newt's shoulder as he held me—listening to the wails of Credence as the spells were finally allowed to hit their mark.

The dust settled and Graves climbed up onto the platform, turning to the people who'd vanquished Credence with a scowl.

"You fools. Do you realize what you've done?"

The president stepped to the front of the group. "The Obscurial was killed on my orders, Mr. Grave."

"Yes. And history will surely note that, Madam President. What was done here was not right."

"He was responsible for the death of a No-Maj. He risked the exposure of our community. He has broken one of our more sacred laws."

"A law that has us scuttling like rats in the gutter," Graves snapped, and I growled on instinct, wanting to turn towards him, but Newt held me still.

I didn't have the energy to fight him anymore.

"A law that directs those under its dominion to cower in fear lest we risk discovery! I ask you, Madam President. I ask all of you... Who does this law protect? Us? Or them? I refuse to bow down any longer," Graves declared, and the president frowned.

"Aurors, I'd like you to relieve Mr. Graves of his wand and escort him back to—"

A shield blocked Graves' path before he turned and the Aurors began to fire at him relentlessly. I shifted away from Newt, cautious as Graves blocked shot after shot and knocking down Aurors, but Newt grabbed my wrist. He pulled out the Swooping Evil, allowing it to fly upward and distract Graves so Newt could bind the man's hands and Tina took his wand. Newt and I approached, and I lifted my wand, understanding dawning on me. I'd been right. This man wasn't Graves.

"Revelio."

His face shifted and he soon looked back at us with white hair and smiling blue eyes.

"Do you think you can hold me?" He whispered to the president as she neared him.

"We'll do our best, Mr. Grindelwald."

A chill went down my back at the name, ringing familiar bells in the back of my mind as I bared my teeth and snarled. The man smirked over at me as he was hauled to his feet and stopped before Newt and me.

"Will we die, just a little?" He hummed, looking to Newt before looking back to me with a smirk. "Shame I didn't believe Abraham, or you'd have a different owner."

Newt was the only thing holding me up at that point as Grindelwald chuckled and was pulled up the stairs. My throat was tight and body rigid, even as Newt muttered quietly to me and squeezed my hand that I hadn't realized he'd taken. Newt let out a soft sigh before Jacob came over and handed him the case of creatures.

"Thank you," Newt said, but I growled when the president approached us.

She paused, eyeing me briefly but shifted her gaze to Newt as he clasped my elbow. "We owe you an apology, Mr. Scamander. But the magical community is exposed. We cannot obliviate an entire city."

"Actually, I think we can," Newt said, looking to me. "Lux, if you wouldn't mind."

I blinked, confused before Newt raised a brow, and understanding dawned on me. "Oh. Oh!" I cracked a smile. "He's gonna love this."

* * *

"Hold on. Who?" Jacob asked as Newt opened his case and Lux shifted.

The Aurors stepped back, wands out at the sight of the dragon once more, but Newt frowned as Lux growled at them.

"Put the wands away or the deal is off."

The president eyed Lux cautiously. "She's attacked us twice now."

Newt shook his head. "She's defended herself twice. Now, please. I swear no harm will come to you so long as the wands are put away. She… disagrees with them."

"A witch who disagrees with wands?"

Lux snarled. "A witch who is tired of them being pointed at her when she's done _nothing._"

The president watched her for a second before putting away her wand, waving for the Aurors to do the same. Wands gone, Lux huffed, and once Newt had the case open and placed down, she dove into it. It only took a moment for her to fly out with a screeching orange bird chasing and nipping at her tail. The two tumbled about for a second as Newt rolled his eyes fondly.

"Lux."

The dragon sighed, shifting back to human, despite the screeching complaint from Frank as he hovered over her.

"Playtime's over, bud," she murmured, accepting help from Newt to get back up onto her feet.

He waited until Frank landed and sighed softly as he eyed the bird. "I was intending to wait until we got to Arizona, but it seems like now you are our only hope, Frank. I'll miss you."

The bird cooed, letting Newt pet him and nudging him before turning to Lux and using his beak to tug at her hair.

"Frank," she muttered in protest as the bird used his head to shove her back a bit. "That _hurts,_ you daft bird."

Frank backed off slightly and Lux let out a sigh.

"But I'll miss you too."

Frank turned back to Newt, who gave the bird a small nod as it eyed the vial he'd pulled out.

"You know what you've got to do."

He tossed the vial and the bird caught it, flying up with a screech. Once high in the clouds, lightning began to strike and the thunderbird started a storm that rained down the vial's contents, obliterating all the memories of the No-Maj while the Aurors repaired buildings and Lux shifted one last time, flying up and out to join Frank for a final flight. She returned to the subway before it was sealed up, landing and allowing Newt to steady her once she changed back. He looked back to the Aurors and the president then, calm.

"They won't remember anything. That venom has incredibly powerful obliviate properties."

"We owe you a great debt, Mr. Scamander," the president said, eyeing the woman at his side. "And you as well, Miss Delaney… Now, get that case out of New York."

"Yes, Madam President," Newt said with a bow as the group started to leave only for her to pause.

"Is that No-Maj still here? Obliviate him. There can be no exceptions. I'm sorry, but even one witness. You know the law." She glanced at the group who looked absolutely torn. "I'll let you say goodbye. And Miss Delaney, I'll be registering your Animagus in the system."

Lux bristled, but the woman held up a hand.

"Just… that you have one. The details will be restricted to a select few and—so long as you stay out of trouble—I'll consider putting rules in place to protect those with… _rarer_ forms of Animagus."

She stepped out with a final bob of the head, but Lux clicked her tongue.

"Decade too late." Her eyes shifted to Jacob then. "And it's not really worth it."

Jacob cracked a small grimace of a smile at her as they made their way up the stairs to the entrance. All he would have to do would be stand under the rain, but Queenie pulled him to a stop.

"This is for the best," Jacob pressed, voice choked with tears. "Yeah. I-I was…I was never supposed to be here. I was never supposed to know any of this. Everybody knows Newt and Lux only kept me around because… Why did you keep me around?"

Newt was hesitant, but Lux answered for him.

"Because we like you, you dunce. You're… decent for a muggle."

Jacob cracked a small smile at that as Newt tried to make the half-insult better.

"Because you're our friend and we'll never forget how you helped us, Jacob."

"O-Oh."

Queenie stepped up to him then. "I'll come with you. We'll go somewhere. We'll go anywhere," she chuckled, earning one from him as well, though they were both slightly forced. "Seem I ain't never gonna find anyone like you."

"There's loads like me," Jacob argued.

"No. No. There's only one like you."

"I gotta go," he said, everyone tearing up as Newt also tried to stop him. "It's okay. It's okay... It's okay. It's just like waking up, right?"

He stepped back into the rain before Queenie stepped out after him, giving him a final kiss goodbye. Newt sniffed, glancing at Lux as she leaned her shoulder against him and the group apparated away.

* * *

We walked up towards the boat with Tina—the case securely tied closed to prevent any unwanted escapees and I eyed the boat in trepidation.

"Still don't like boats," I grumbled, scratching at a long scar along the left side of my neck until Newt lightly smacked my hand away from it.

"You can go in the case once we're on board. Stop fussing at it. You'll only make it worse."

I clicked my tongue at his chiding as Tina cracked a small bitter smile.

Newt offered her a sheepish one in return. "It's been…"

"Hasn't it?" She hummed. "Listen, Newt. I wanted to thank you."

"What on earth for?"

"Well, you know, if you hadn't said all those nice things to Madam Picquery about me, I wouldn't be back on the investigative team now."

Newt glanced away a bit, eyeing me as I raised a brow a few steps away. I was trying not to get between the two—something I noticed made Tina rather tense—but Newt was determined to keep me close after what happened, so I couldn't wander far.

"Well, I can't think of anyone that I'd rather have investigating us."

"Try not to need investigating for a bit," Tina countered.

"I will. Quiet life from now on. Back to the Ministry. Deliver my manuscript."

"I'll look out for it. 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,'" she smiled before it fell and I felt her gaze on me. "Does Leta Lestrange like to read?"

"Who?"

"The girl who's picture you carry."

Newt fidgeted. "I don't really know what, uh, Leta likes these days because people change."

"Yes."

"I've changed. I think… Maybe a little."

The boat honked and Newt turned before smiling back at her. "I'll send you a copy of my book, if I may."

"I'd like that."

"Newt, the boat," I grumbled, and he nodded.

"One second."

I rolled my eyes and stepped onto the ship to wait for him, hoping the prolonged exposure to a stationary ship might get me over my fear. _Oh, no. Nope. It's not working._

* * *

Newt shuffled from foot to foot as he watched Lux board the ship, anxious to be back at her side. Ever since she acted so recklessly, he hadn't wanted to let her out of his sight. She was a ticking time bomb, in a way, but he was the same. She a bomb of fiery rage and pent up fear, and him a bomb of worry and concern.

"You really care about her, don't you?"

"Hm?" He questioned, whipping back around to Tina. "Who?"

Tina shook her head. "Just… If you do, don't… don't let her slip away. Even though she doesn't seem to realize it… Let her know." Tina smiled then, feeling a weight sliding off her. "Because if I see you two pretending to ignore these feelings the next time I spot you, we're going to have a _long_ talk. Understand?"

Newt looked surprised at first, then embarrassed as her words sank in, ready to come up with some terribly stuttered lie, but the boat horn went off again and he winced.

"I-I better go. S-She _really_ doesn't do well on boats."

Tina nodded and Newt cracked a smile before rushing up the gangplank and into the ship to hunt down an edgy Animagus. He found her at the front of the ship, leaning so far into the railing he thought she might just jump over and swim.

"L-Lux!" He called out, so as not to startle her by approaching without her notice.

She's been edgy after all.

She turned with a raised brow, trying to appear calm, but he couldn't help but smile as he reached for her hands to lightly pry her white-knuckled grip away from the metal railing.

"L-Let's go to our room, shall we? I'll get the case set up while you—"

"Set the alarms for when we're supposed to get off or have meals," Lux finished, heading for the ship and Newt hurried after her, grabbing her wrist and stopping her.

"Ah, sorry. I just…" He paused, mulling over his words and what Tina had said as well as Queenie's words from before. "Are you… happy? Being with me, I mean. Traveling."

Lux blinked, eyeing him in confusion. "Well, yeah. I wouldn't be here otherwise, right?"

Newt tightened his grip briefly, trying to find a way to say what he meant. "A-And sharing a room?"

"We usually share the case, don't we?" Lux countered, making him wince.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

"W-What I mean is…" He let out a long breath, letting her go. "Never mind."

He stepped past her but was jerked to a stop when she grabbed his hand. He paused, eyeing her in confusion but she wouldn't look at him and her cheeks were tinted pink as she muttered something under her breath.

"What?"

She winced, turning to face him finally. "I… enjoy being with you… Newt."

The words sank in and his eyes widened before his own cheeks flushed and he cracked a small smile.

"Me too."


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's the start of Fantastic Beast: The Crimes of Grindelwald and... well, I'll keep going I suppose *shrugs* don't know why I'm in the mood for this, but meh. As long as I'm in the mood for something, right? :D I'll try to work on Doctor Who stuff too if I can.**

* * *

Newt sat on a bench in the Ministry, nervous just being in the place but glad for the woman yawning at his side. Lux rubbed at her neck where a scar now lay form their time in New York, having not been sleeping well lately. Not since word of Grindelwald escaping, anyway. He wished he could do something more for her than the sleeping draughts he'd been making, but she had murmured her thanks for those and waved off his concerns at the bags under her eyes. On the positive side, she'd grown more open with him—sharing her past as he did much the same in return. She'd become more… human, as well.

She'd always had an animalistic side to her after that decade stuck in a cage waiting to be auctioned off like some sort of beast. She still did a few things. Snarling or growling when angry or fearful. However, she was relying on her Animagus less than before and he'd more often than not caught her in her own work-study—something he'd added to his case at her request—trying out spells or potions that could help them with their creatures and others they may find. Her Jarvey had mellowed out as well, not calling him "rat" any longer but his actual name.

Newt was glad though, that she'd become less of that paranoid, animalistic frightened person and more… herself. He was finding quirks of hers that he couldn't recognize before because she'd hid them away. And the more they stayed together, the closer they became. They were both still very awkward people socially—getting along better with their creatures than people. But they were now, more actively, seeking each other out and exchanged fond touches like young Crup pups comforting each other during a storm. More than once, Newt had woken to find Lux having slept in the same bed—nothing having happened, just a possible nightmare drawing the woman to someone safe in the middle of the night. And surprisingly, Newt wasn't entirely bothered.

Lux was a companion that he felt safe and comfortable with. Someone he could speak to without feeling strange or out of place. Not to mention, their fondness over their creatures and other subjects bringing them ever closer to something considered more than a friendship. Just the thought made Newt's ears flame red before he turned his attention to the Bowtruckle dangling from the button on his coat. The threads broke, earning a small amused snort from Lux as the Bowtruckle dropped to the floor with the button. He and the tiny creature rushed for it and Newt smiled as he got to it first, giving Lux a grin as well and enjoying the fond shake of her head. That is until she looked up with a frown and Newt followed her gaze to a set of heeled shoes.

As his gaze moved higher, he hastily brought himself back to his feet, throat tight at the sight of his former best friend.

"They're ready for you, Newt."

"Leta. W-What are you doing here?"

The woman smiled as Newt winced, catching sight of Lux eyeing the two curiously. She had been thankfully not the jealous type—or if she was, he hadn't seen it thus far—and he was hoping to keep it that way.

"Theseus thought it would be good if I became a part of the Ministry family."

Newt cracked a small smile. "Did he actually say the words, 'Ministry family'? That sounds like my brother."

They both moved out of the way of the bewitched cleaning contraption and Lux joined them, earning a curious look from Leta.

"And who's this?"

"O-Oh, this is Lux. Lux Delaney. She's been, um, traveling with me."

Newt hoped his uneasiness wasn't taken the wrong way. He was often causing trouble with his sheepish actions being interpreted as something else, but Lux seemed to understand. They'd grown apt at reading each other now, after all. That being said, Leta looked a bit unsure, eyeing Lux before turning her attention fully back to Newt—dismissing her completely. Newt cracked Lux a small reassuring smile, which was returned as they started to walk up the hall—Leta speaking to Newt about his brother.

"Theseus was disappointed you couldn't come to dinner… _any_ of the nights we've asked you."

Newt winced slightly. "Well, I've been busy."

"He's your brother, Newt. He likes spending time with you, and so do I."

Newt swallowed thickly, starting to get the feeling that he was missing something. He glanced at Lux, trying to remember what he'd told her about Leta and about his brother. He doesn't remember it being much. Once he'd explained how his family entirely disapproves of his life goals, Lux had been quick to huff and acknowledge that his family was a poor topic of discussion. She had since avoided it unless she brought it up—something he greatly appreciated. He _did_ remember informing her that Leta and he were good friends at Hogwarts until he got expelled for her, and she got engaged to his brother. _After that, I believe we began to discuss her time at the school before our Niffler decided to try and snatch our cutlery._

There was a little chirp and Newt hastily pulled at his pocket for Pickett. The last thing he needed was the little creature being spotted while dealing with the Ministry.

"Oi, you. Hope in, Pick."

Leta chuckled. "Why do strange creatures love you so much?"

Lux frowned, but Newt was quick to retort.

"Well, there are no strange creatures, only—"

"Only blinkered people," Leta quoted him with a smile as he looked away sheepishly.

He was beginning to feel a bit embarrassed now, with Lux hovering beside him silently. It was rare she was quiet like this, but he _had_ told her to behave while in the Ministry, and with her mellowing out it shouldn't be too surprising, but it honestly was. He just got the feeling she was keen on listening in to this insight into his life.

"How long did you get in detention for saying that to Prendergast?" Leta hummed.

"I think it was a month that time."

"And I set off a dungbomb on his desk so that I could join you. Do you remember?"

"He was a terrible teacher," Lux said then, drawing their gazes to her. "I dumped birdseed all over his desk once and left the window open. Class was canceled because one of the owls attacked him when he tried to shoo it off."

Newt's eyes widened. "I-I remember that. Mine was the class after. That was you? They never said who it was."

Lux cracked the slightest smirk, tapping her temple. "Ravenclaw. Too smart to catch."

Newt smiled a little in return before it fell at the sight of his brother heading over.

"Hello," Theseus hummed, coming up beside Leta.

"Theseus. We were just talking about Newt coming for dinner."

Theseus raised a brow. "Really? Well…" His eyes shifted to Lux as she eyed the door they were now waiting outside of. "And who's this?"

Lux spared him a glance but didn't introduce herself—having an apparent dislike of Newt's brother from the start. _Something probably my fault,_ Newt thought with a small wince.

"L-Lux Delaney. M-My, um…"

"Friend," Leta said the same moment Newt replied.

"…partner."

The two eyed each other for a second, earning a surprised look from Theseus as he looked over Lux again. Finally, he shook his head and offered her a hand.

"Theseus, though I'm sure Newt's spoken about me."

Lux eyed the offered hand, slowly taking it and earning a small cringe at the amount of strength she put behind it. Theseus chuckled as he pulled away, rubbing his hand before giving the door a look and turning to Newt.

"Look, before we go in there. I, um—"

"It's my fifth attempt, Theseus. I know the form."

"This isn't going to be like the other times," Theseus countered. "This is… Just try and keep an open mind, will you? And maybe a little less…"

"Like me," Newt said, closing his eyes with a deep breath as Lux stealthily slipped her hand into his and squeezed.

"Well, it can't hurt."

A low growl made Theseus blink, but before he could realize it was Lux, Newt gave her hand a squeeze in return and let go, managing a small reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'll be fine. Here." He took Pickett out and handed the dangling Bowtruckle to her. "Keep an eye on him."

Lux nodded, allowing the Bowtruckle to clamber up her own coat to her pocket. "Good luck."

And Newt took a deep breath, turning to the doors and desperately hoping what lay behind them wasn't as serious as his brother was making it out to be.

* * *

I had started to pace outside the room, Pickett chirping uneasily in my pocket the longer it was taking. I didn't like what Theseus had said and knowing that Newt was stuck in there on his own left me grumbling under my breath with teeth bared. I wanted nothing more than to burst in there, grab Newt and have us leave but I promised I'd behave while here, as antsy as the Ministry made me. I didn't trust that Madam President from MACUSA had stuck to her end of the deal in any way other than ensuring I wasn't being hunted down. Meaning I knew changing in here or causing any more mischief could potentially throw a wrench into any plans Newt had.

I shook the thoughts from my head, pausing in my pacing to eye the door, getting an uneasy feeling from behind its doors. They were sealed and had a number of spells on them to prevent eavesdropping, but that didn't stop my minute Legilimency. Being around the creatures had surprisingly helped me grow in that aspect. Reading subtle movements and applying them to what instincts my Legilimency provided meant I had an even better read on people than before. Silencing spells couldn't quite block out the sour taste of a person tucked away behind that door.

Said door burst open suddenly, making me stiffen before relaxing as Newt hurried out. I frowned, easily keeping pace with him.

"What did they want?" Because I knew the Ministry always wanted something.

"Nothing," Newt murmured, making my frown deepen.

"Newt."

He took only a half-second before making to tell me, only for his brother to shout.

"Newt! You think I like the idea of Grimmson any more than you do?"

Newt stopped, but I was already bristling at the other man's tone. "Listen, I don't want to hear how the ends justify the means, Theseus."

"I think you're gonna have to pull your head out of the sand!" Theseus hissed, before I growled, shoving the brother back with bared teeth.

"Back off," I snarled, surprising the older brother before Newt lightly clasped my elbow, relaxing my hunched shoulders.

"Lux, it's okay," he muttered, making me frown at him.

"No. Talking is one thing, but this isn't talking," I growled, turning back to Theseus.

"You don't understand," Theseus argued, but I took a threatening step forward, making him hesitate in uncertainty.

"If anyone doesn't understand, it's _you._ Don't act like you know Newt just because you're family when you lot gave up on him from the start."

"Lux," Newt pressed, going ignored as Theseus snapped.

"And what would _you_ know? You're just some woman he picked up like another one of his creatures."

I growled, reaching for him as Newt grabbed hold and pulled me back.

"Theseus," Newt surprisingly snapped as I struggled to restrain myself, and the older brother too looked a bit uneasy at Newt's raised voice.

Theseus seemed to consider what he'd said and winced, backing down begrudgingly as Newt turned his back to his brother and held my upper arms, speaking softly.

"Lux calm down, please. He's just upset, is all."

"Just because you're different," I snarled, and Newt shook his head solemnly.

"I know. Please. Not here. Please."

I slowly calmed and his hands rubbed my arms soothingly as I begrudgingly backed down as well and Newt looked over his shoulder to Theseus.

"We'll be going now."

Theseus didn't look pleased, but one glance at me had him pursing his lips. "You know the time is coming when everyone's going to have to pick a side. Even you."

"I don't do sides," Newt said, starting to leave with a hand in mine to tug me along, only for Theseus to callout once more.

"Newt." He had his arms open, moving closer and Newt gave my hand a squeeze of reassurance before he let go, begrudgingly accepting the hug. "They're watching you."

I frowned at the warning and at his brother as he backed away, finally leaving us to leave the Ministry.

"So?" I muttered, keeping my voice soft as we stepped out onto the streets. "What do they want?"

Newt hesitated, before speaking quietly, flicking his wand out briefly to cast a silencing spell so we wouldn't be overheard. "Credence is alive."

My eyes went wide in surprise. "How?"

"I don't know, but… they wanted me to join the Ministry under my brother's department. To become an Auror."

I scoffed at the thought. "They wanted _you_ to hunt him down? Your brother truly _is_ a moron then, if he thought that would get you to join him."

Newt sighed. "You shouldn't have gone for him like that."

I huffed. "He was upsetting you."

Newt cracked a small smile and shook his head. "You don't have to attack everyone who bothers me, Lux."

I rubbed my neck sheepishly, feeling a bit scolded though I knew Newt didn't mean it to be. "Sorry."

His hand nudged mine, reassuringly and I hummed, before frowning.

"Someone's following us," I murmured, making Newt nod. "Do you want me to shift or…"

"No. We can Apparate."

I grumbled. "I hate Apparating."

"We'll try something else first. Through here."

We ducked around a corner and Newt pulled out his wand. "Ventus."

The two of us peeked around the corner to watch the wizard who'd been tailing us pull out his umbrella to fight against the wind without success. I snorted before hearing a wisp of something and whipping around, wand out only to frown at the floating glove that wiggled its fingers at us. It pointed to a place on the roof of St. Paul's Cathedral not too far off and Newt sighed. The glove offered itself and I gave Newt a glance, but he nodded. So, I took his elbow as he clasped hands with the glove and we Apparated to the roof.

I groaned when we landed, glad I'd kept hold of Newt when we appeared on the very edge of the building. He ensured I was steady before we walked the edge to find the wizard who'd brought us there. Newt smiled and once I realized who it was, I relaxed as well.

"Dumbledore," Newt greeted as the man turned with a smile. "Were the less than conspicuous rooftops full then?"

Dumbledore chuckled, looking back out over the city. "I do enjoy a view." He pulled out his wand. "Nebulus."

The London air became fogged and we again Apparated back down to the streets where we could talk in peace in the dense fog.

"How was it?" Dumbledore asked Newt as I used my wand to heat up our coats against the chill and keep Newt and I dry.

"They're still convinced that you sent me to New York."

"You told the I didn't?" Dumbledore remarked, earning a snort from me.

"Yes. Even though you did."

I eyed Newt, not knowing this.

"You told me where to find that trafficked Thunderbird, Dumbledore. You knew that I would take him home and you knew I'd have to take him through a Muggle port."

"Well, I've always felt an affinity with the great magical birds," Dumbledore mused. "There's a story in my family that a phoenix will come to any Dumbledore in desperate need. They say my great-great-grandfather had one but that it took flight when he died, never to return."

"With all due respect, professor, I don't believe for a minute that's why you told me about the Thunderbird," Newt complained.

Dumbledore stopped walking, smiling. "You met Lux, didn't you?"

I was sure Newt's face was as red as mine, but a soft noise behind us made me growl and snatch Newt's arm as we Apparated away from our tail once more. We made it to the bus station after that and I eyed Dumbledore in uncertainty.

"Did you know about me?"

The man shook his head with a sad look. "Not until Newt was well on his way to get you. I understood that your… family situation wasn't the best, but when you vanished… I'm very sorry, Lux."

It was good to know that someone did care enough to possibly send Newt in my direction—that _someone_ had noticed—and I appreciated the apology, even though we both knew there was nothing anyone could have done. Dumbledore was possibly the only other person I truly trusted besides Newt.

"Did you know about…" I started, wondering if he knew everything with his seemingly vast amount of knowledge.

"Your Animagus," he finished, confirming he heard at some point. "No. Not until New York." He smiled though, softly, reassuringly. "A _dragon_. How very you."

I snorted and even Newt cracked a small smile as Dumbledore turned the conversation back to our situation and the problems at hand.

"Credence is in Paris, Newt. He's trying to trace his real family. I take it you've heard the rumors about who he really is?"

"No."

We climbed onto a bus to move out of sight of wandering eyes. Again, I slipped my wand out and cast a silencing spell around us, earning a grateful nod from Dumbledore.

"As good a spell caster as I remember."

I smiled a little at his praise, allowing him to continue.

"The purebloods think he's the last of an important French line; a baby whom everyone thought lost."

Newt looked stunned, though I'd been long kept out of the loop as to the important families in the wizarding world.

"Not Leta's brother," Newt breathed in shock.

"That's what they're whispering. Pureblood or not, I know this. An Obscurus grows in the absence of love as a dark twin, an only friend. If Credence has a real brother or sister out there who can take its place, he might yet be saved."

"If he accepts them," I added, glancing briefly at Newt. "We both know that blood doesn't always mean family. He'd have to trust them first and they'd have to prove themselves worthy of it."

"Yes, but we may not know who he is yet either. He needs to be found, and I rather hoped you might be the one to find him. You and Lux would've made quite the pair back in Hogwarts, so I can only imagine how well you two have bonded now. That makes you far more powerful than you were alone, all considering."

"For someone who always complained about pride ruling one's head, you sure are laying it on thick," I muttered, earning a smile from Dumbledore.

"I mean every word, Lux."

_Not saying he didn't, I'm just worried about the amount of trust he's placing in us._ I rubbed my neck as Dumbledore flicked his wrist and handed Newt a card.

"What's that?" Newt questioned.

"An address of a very old acquaintance of mine. A safe house in Paris, reinforced with enchantments."

"Safe house? Why would we need a safe house in Paris?" Newt questioned.

"With the trouble we cause?" I said under my breath, earning a nudge from Newt and an amused look from the professor sitting across from us.

"One hopes you won't need it, but should things at some point go terribly wrong, it's good to have a place to go. You know, for a cup of tea."

Newt gaped. "No, no, no. Absolutely not."

Dumbledore stepped off the bus as I canceled the spell and the driver climbed in, apparating away once more with us hurrying after him.

"I'm banned from international travel, Dumbledore," Newt argued. "If I leave the country, they will put me in Azkaban and throw away the key."

Dumbledore eyed us both as we stood on the Lambeth bridge. "Do you know why I admire you both, Newt? More, perhaps than anyone I know?"

I fidgeted as Newt stared in surprise.

"You do not seek power or popularity. You simply ask, is the thing right in itself? If it is, then I must do it, no matter the cost. And you, Lux. What could I not say about you? Dealing with such hardship from the start and never once backing down from a challenge, only growing."

It took me a second to snap out of my daze to hurry after the two as Newt continued to argue.

"That's all very well, Dumbledore, but—forgive me for asking—why can't _you_ go?"

"I cannot move against Grindelwald. It has to be you two," he declared, seeing our hesitation. "Well, I don't blame you. In your shoes, I'd probably refuse too." He took the card back from Newt. "It's late. Good evening, Newt, Lux."

The man apparated and Newt groaned.

"Wait. No… Oh, come on."

Newt shot me an exasperated glance that I shrugged at, before the familiar wisp of Dumbledore's glove reappeared, tucking the card in his pocket.

"Dumbledore," he complained as I sighed.

"I hope you didn't think we'd _actually_ get out of this."

"Well, no, but—"

"Newt," I grumbled as we headed back home. "We were trying to save Credence from the start. Abandoning him now would… he'd have no one."

Newt was quiet for a while before running a hand through his hair. "We've both gotten soft, haven't we?"

My lip twitched up in a half-smile. "Would you rather I be pillaging villages in Scotland?"

"Merlin, no. I think we're fine just the way… we… are."

My gaze followed his to our front window where the light was flicking on and off. We exchanged looks before opening the door to find a baby Niffler having jerked the cord off the lamp and stuffing it into its pouch. It watched us both for a moment, before taking off as I spotted another stuffing silver weights into its pouch on the other end of the room. I closed the door behind us as Newt grabbed a small pot, covering the fleeing Niffler on the table as he passed me an apple and I used it to toss the second Niffler into my hands.

Newt opened the other door, before we heard one more baby Niffler, turning to spot it on top of a bottle of wine trying to take the cork off. It went flying right between Newt and I and I let out a sigh.

"We _really_ need to find another person."

"Bunty!" Newt called out as we hurried downstairs after the other baby Niffler.

"This is what? The fifth time they've gotten into the house?" I continued.

"Bunty! Bunty!"

There was a grumbling hiss and Jarvey clambered up the railing and onto my shoulder as I tickled the brown Niffler baby in my hands to coax out the weights it'd packed.

"They nearly made it _out _of the house the last time too," I continued. "It's a good thing I laid up those charms to keep them in or they'd be out there now, no doubt."

"Bunty, the baby Nifflers are loose again," Newt said to the mousey woman who had her head inside the mouth of a Leucrotta.

She hurried over to grab a glove, approaching the baby that had fallen down the stairs and dangling a gold necklace in front of it to coax it into her hand.

"Well done," Newt commented, handing over the other babies as I handed over my own.

"I'm so sorry, Newt. They must have picked the lock while I was cleaning out the Augreys—"

"Not to worry," Newt said, shooting me a look that said keep quiet while we went down the stairs to check on everyone and she tucked the babies away in their little hoard.

"I've fed nearly everyone. Pinky's had his nose drops and—"

"And Elsie?"

"Elsie's droppings are nearly normal again," she reported.

"Wonderful. You can, um… You can clock off now," he said, putting eye drops into a Mooncalf's eye.

Bunty hesitated and I spotted her cut fingers with plasters on and sighed, drawing out my wand and muttering a spell under my breath to take care of them.

"We _said_ to leave the Kelpie to us."

The woman shrank under my gaze, having always been more comfortable with Newt than myself.

"That wound needs more ointment—"

"I don't want you losing fingers over it," Newt lightly scolded, moving to the kelpie's enclosure with myself and Bunty on his tail. "Seriously, you go home now, Bunty. You must be exhausted."

"You know the Kelpie's easier with two."

"I have Lux to help," Newt said matter-of-factly, and Bunty gave me a glance as I removed my coat with Newt doing the same.

"Go home, Bunty," I said sharply, and the woman nodded, scuttling away as I rolled my eyes, and Jarvey jumped off. "And you said _I_ was clueless."

"What's that?" Newt questioned, eyeing the water.

I'd become more attune with people and their emotions thanks to Newt and the other creatures, as well as my trips out to gather supplies—something Newt ensured to "socialize" me better. _That being said, while we've grown more attuned to one another, he's still rather clueless in regards to women, isn't he?_

"We need to hire someone else," I repeated.

"It won't be easy. Finding Bunty was a problem to begin with," he murmured. "And she does well enough, don't you think?"

I sighed, seeing he didn't understand and choosing to drop it. "Yes, all right. Never mind."

His brows furrowed, confused and about to ask me what was wrong, but I shifted and slipped into the water. I wasn't quite as versatile as the Kelpie—more adaptable to flying than swimming, but I'd grown used to it and spotted the Kelpie as it swooped past. Newt dived in after me as I swam around with the Kelpie, seeing why he'd been so difficult for Bunty. Newt understood as well and climbed out, grabbing the ointment needed and placing it on an upper level as the water rose and the Kelpie flew out of the water over me.

"Cheeky thing," I complained, helping Newt climb onto its back now that it'd calmed down.

"He just needed to let off some steam."

"No, he was showing off again," I drawled, shaking the water off my head and letting out a huff of smoke from my nose. "You know how he is."

"Well, you haven't been doing your exercises as you should," Newt argued, earning a grumble of complaint.

Since our first encounter with Grindelwald, I'd grown stiffer while recovering from the injuries I'd been dealt. Swimming with the Kelpie was a chance to stretch and workout muscles I hadn't used in a while, and I hated to admit it helped. _I just wish it was with Frank. Flying is far easier._

"Bite Bunty again and there'll be trouble, Mister," Newt scolded the Kelpie, putting n its ointment.

There was a crash of something breaking and I perked with a growl.

"Newt."

"I heard," he murmured as I slid out of the water and the Kelpie shrank away, water dripping from the fur along my back as I eyed the ceiling. "Anything?"

"The charms muddle it," I explained, brows furrowed. "But… if it was dark, I would know."

"Could be Simmons," he offered, and I hummed, eyes glancing down at him.

"Should I deal with it?"

Newt cracked a smile, running a hand down the length of my head. "We both will."

I sighed, shifting back to myself and taking my wand from Jarvey who'd swiped it from my coat for me. With a wave, Newt and I were dry, and we headed up the stairs, prepared for a duel should it come to that. What we came upon though, was hardly worth that.

Queenie and Jacob were standing in our living room fumbling with a vase and I wrinkled my nose, smelling the alcohol from where Newt and I had poked around the corner. We relaxed at the sight of the two and when they spotted us, Jacob grinned and held out his hands.

"Hey! Newt!" He sang. "Get over here, you maniac!"

I blinked as he wrapped Newt in a hug, giving Queenie a raised brow from behind him as she repaired the broken vase with a smile.

"I hope you tow don't mind. We let ourselves in. It's raining out there. Cats and dogs! London's cold."

"Weren't you obliviated?" I asked Jacob as he released Newt.

"I know!" Jacob laughed. "It didn't work, pal! I mean, you said it. The potion only erases bad memories. I didn't have any. I mean, don't get me wrong, I had some weird ones. But this angel." He paused, seeing she moved before continuing. "This angel over there, she filled me in on all the bad parts and here we are, I guess, huh?"

"This is wonderful!" Newt smiled, looking to me as I cracked a small one in agreement. "Is Tina…"

Queenie shook her head. "It's just us, honey." She looked at me and I hummed.

"Shame."

Queenie's brows furrowed. "Have you two…"

I raised a brow. "Have we what?"

She watched me for a minute before smiling mischievously. "Oh, good for you!"

"What? What's going on? What'd I miss?" Jacob asked as I rolled my eyes and moved for the kitchen.

"They're together!"

"What! Newt and Lux? No!"

"I'll get the tea," I muttered, passing Newt with ears as red as his in embarrassment. "Legilimens, honestly." I paused only a second though. "She's enchanted him."

He hummed, also having noticed, but kept a small smile on his face as Queenie offered to cook. _It's going to be a long night._


	7. Chapter 7

"Tina and I aren't talking," Queenie announced while I kept a firm hold of my suspicions regarding the enchanted Jacob tucked away out of her sight.

"Why?" Newt questioned, keeping the conversation going so he could confirm for himself.

"Oh, well, you know. She found out about Jacob and I seeing each other and she didn't like it, cos of the law," Queenie drawled, cutting up Jacob's food. "Not allowed to date No-Majs, not allowed to marry them. Blah, blah, blah… Well, she was all in a tizzy anyway, cos of you."

"Me?" Newt shot me a look, wondering what he'd done, but I shrugged, uncertain myself.

"Yeah, you, Newt. It was in _Spellbound_. Here. I brought it for you." She waved her wand and summoned the article, flipping it open to an image of Newt standing awkwardly beside Leta, Bunty, and his brother at a book launch. "'Newt Scamander with fiancée, Leta Lestrange; brother Theseus; and unknown woman.'"

Newt shook his head. "No. _Theseus_ is marrying Leta, not me."

"Oh! Oh, dear… Well, see, Teen read that, and she threw an absolute fit about you and Lux. Why weren't you there?" She asked me and I rubbed at the scar on my neck.

"We'd just rescued a Kelpie," I explained, pointing out Bunty. "Bunty, the blonde, has been helping with the creatures, but we knew the Kelpie would be too much. I was working with it to calm it down so we could treat an injury. He wouldn't take anyone but me or Newt."

"Oh. And you're not… you know, worried? About this?"

I glanced at the article and snorted. "Wizards always gossip about people they don't know. I know Newt." I looked at her, missing Newt's ever reddening face. "Why _should_ I care?"

Queenie's grin widened. "You two are so cute."

I flushed at that, embarrassment making me look away.

"Anyway, Teen's dating an Auror now. His name's Achilles Tolliver. Maybe that's also why she didn't come. They might have had a date or something."

I spotted Jacob trying to drink the salt and Newt exchanged a look with me as Queenie switched it for a glass and forced a smile.

"We're real excited to be here, Newt. This is a… Well, it's a special trip for us. You see, Jacob and I, we're getting married!"

"I'm married, Jacob!" Jacob said, splashing his face with his drink as Queenie used her wand to throw up some confetti.

"You've enchanted him, haven't you?" I said finally as Queenie dabbed off his face.

"What? I have not."

She must have heard something in Newt's head then.

"Oh, that is an outrageous accusation. Look at him. He's just happy. He's so happy!"

Newt slipped out his wand. "Then, you won't mind if I, um—"

Queenie got to her feet, shielding him. "Please don't."

"Queenie, you've got nothing to fear if he wants to get married. We can just lift the enchantment and he can tell us himself," Newt said as I stood beside him, eyeing her.

"Unless he doesn't, and that's why you enchanted him."

Queenie was silent and I sighed, seeing that I'd hit the nail on the head.

"God, domestics," I murmured under my breath as Queenie reluctantly moved aside and Jacob eyed the wand aimed at him in confusion.

"What you got there? Whatchu gonna do? Whatchu gonna do with that, Mr. Scamander?"

"Surgito," Newt breathed, lifting the enchantment and leaving Jacob rather confused. "Congratulations on your engagement, Jacob."

"Wait, what?" Jacob responded and we both looked to Queenie, who was absolutely distraught as Jacob turned to her. "Oh, no. You didn't. Queenie!"

Queenie gathered her coat and her suitcase, making for the door.

"Queenie!" He called, stumbling a bit from the after-effects of the enchantment. "It was very nice to see you," he said to us. "Where the hell am I right now?"

"Um, London."

Jacob slapped his hand against his thigh. "I always wanted to go here!" He complained, rushing after Queenie as I looked to Newt.

"Should we…"

"Best not," he murmured, and I eyed the window uneasily.

"He's got a handful, that's for sure. Legilimens are the hardest to deal with."

"Well… you're not so bad."

I smiled a little at Newt, shaking my head as I pulled out my wand to start cleaning up. "I'm hardly a Legilimens. I just get instinctual feelings about someone."

"Lux."

I hummed, wand sweeping up the confetti as Newt repaired a postcard that Queenie had left torn up on the floor. I leaned over his shoulder, watching as he flipped it over to see Tina's handwriting.

_My dear Queenie,_

_What a beautiful city._

_I'm thinking of you._

_Tina x_

"Newt," I muttered, giving him a look. "I thought we weren't."

"Well, Dumbledore insisted," he countered, making for the basement as I sighed.

"Is this because Tina's there?"

"She could be in danger!"

"She's probably _putting_ herself there, Newt! She's an Auror! And a nosey one at that!"

Newt paused on the steps, forcing me to stop before I'd run into him. "Are you saying we should leave her?"

"I-I'm not saying that. I just think we should be a little more…" I trailed off, unable to help noticing that our noses were brushing and that something had a tight hold on my stomach, urging me forward. "…careful."

Newt seemed to realize it too, reaching up a hand, only for me to flinch instinctively, causing him to hesitate and pull it back before turning away to continue down the stairs.

"We're always careful," he replied as though our moment never happened and I clenched my eyes shut for a second, mentally berating myself for flinching before hurrying after him.

"I take it this means we're not going to get a replacement for Bunty in time?"

Newt rolled his eyes as he dove into the cupboard and used his wand to hand me notes for said woman to put on the enclosures. "What do you have against Bunty, Lux?"

"Her lack of priorities," I grumbled, sticking a note on the Augurey's cage as Jarvey clambered up my shoulders with a hiss.

"Witch!"

Newt paused, eyeing the weasel-like creature. "He does know that's not an insult, right?"

I shot him a bland look in return. "I scolded him for the word he was using before."

He winced, ducking back in as a sign flew for me. "Right."

I sent it and a nail to the wall of the Kelpie's enclosure just as Jacob's voice rang up the stairs.

"Newt? Lux?"

"Down here, Jacob!" Newt called out as I nodded for Jarvey to go lead him down.

He hissed, grumbling about something or another before I hear da yelp and Jarvey shouting "Pig!" up above.

"You can't control the rest of his insults?" Newt questioned with a raised brow.

"I got him to say your name," I countered. "The rest he refuses to budge on. Something about compensation for being nice to you."

"_You_ made him call me Newt?" he questioned, pouting a bit. "I thought I'd finally gotten him to like me."

"He's a _Jarvey_," I hummed, brushing my hand over the back of Newt's neck as I passed and went to put his suitcase on the table nearby. "You should be glad he liked you enough to try being nice. Should we take the Nifflers?"

Newt paused, eyeing the ceiling as Jacob finally made it down and Jarvey dug his claws in my shirt to climb back up my shoulders. "Probably. Bunty will have her hands full as it is. If they keep escaping—"

"They'll eventually find a way out," I concluded. "I'll be sure to reestablish my seals on the house, just in case the others get any ideas. I'll send Jacob's things down."

He nodded and I sighed as I passed Jacob, trekking back up the stairs.

_Looks like our trip will be another worrisome one._

* * *

Newt watched Lux as she strolled ahead of him and Jacob, enjoying the landscape of the White Cliffs of Dover and surprisingly enough, not in her Animagus. He'd informed her it should be fine if she wanted, but she shrugged and simply moved ahead of them.

"About Lux…" Newt started, trying to get his words together in his head as he spoke to Jacob.

"What about her?" Jacob questioned, before frowning. "You don't think she'll be upset about Tina, do you?"

"Oh, no. She's… She doesn't seem to be the jealous type."

"Oh, mate. _Every_ woman is a jealous type. Just because she's not showing it doesn't mean she's not bothered."

Newt pondered that for a moment. "Do you think… Should I say something to her? Reassurance?"

"Wouldn't hurt."

"What do you think I should say?"

"Oh, well… it's best not to plan these things. You know, you just say whatever comes to you in the moment."

Newt paused. "She has eyes just like a Matagot."

Jacob shot him a look, understanding now why Newt had asked him for advice. "Don't say that."

Newt stopped, unsure what was wrong, and Jacob tried to help.

"Look. You just tell her that you love her. Right, and then you are only going to Paris to help a friend. Reassure her that you and Tina aren't gonna have a-a… a thing, you know? She'll like that. And then, tell her you're losing sleep at night thinking of her. Just don't say anything about no Matagots, all right?" Jacob paused. "What _is_ a Matagot?"

"It's a feline spirit creature," Newt muttered, glancing over at Lux's back as she stared up at the cloudy sky.

"Hey, hey," Jacob said, stopping the man and patting his arms. "It's gonna be all right. We're in this together, pal. Okay, I'm gonna help you out. I'm gonna help you find Tina, find Queenie, keep your relationship with Lux, and we'll all be happy again. Just like old times."

"Newt," Lux called, nodding towards the fisherman-like person standing near the edge of the cliffs.

"Who's this guy?" Jacob asked.

"He's the only way we can leave the country without documentation. Now, you don't suffer from motion sickness, do you?"

"I don't do well on boats, Newt," Jacob admitted.

"You'll be fine. Ah, Lux. Do you have the potion with you?"

Lux grimaced but nodded. "If I vomit, you're cleaning it up."

Newt winced at the thought, but he knew she didn't handle things like this well seeing as Apparating was something that tended to make her ill. "Right."

"Stir your stumps—it leaves in one minute," the fisherman said to them, eyeing the group. "Fifty Galleons."

"No, we said thirty," Newt argued.

"Thirty to go to France, twenty not to tell anyone I seen Newt Scamander leave the country illegally. Price of fame, pal."

Lux bared her teeth, shifting and making the man pause. "Thirty we go to France, _ten_ I don't eat you right here and you still say nothing."

He swallowed, not looking thrilled but nodded. "_Fine._"

Newt resisted the urge to smile, paying the man.

"Ten seconds," he warned and as Lux shifted back Newt held out a hand.

"Jacob."

Jacob latched on as Lux clasped Newt's elbow as he stomped his foot into the bucket at the fisherman's feet. Jacob let out a scream as they slipped away and landed in France, still holding a bucket.

"I didn't like that Portkey, Newt," Jacob groaned, a little sick.

"So, you keep saying," Newt sighed. "Lux? How are you doing?"

Lux groaned; muttering swears under her breath as she leaned against a building before pulling away and downing a small vial of something lime green. Her expression pinched, skin green for a moment itself as though she were about to be sick, but she managed to force the contents of the vial back—barely.

"Ugh, I s-swear. Whoever invented t-that was…" She hiccupped, grimacing at the taste of bile on her tongue. "…I-I'll bloody kill 'em."

Newt stepped away from Jacob, reaching out a hand towards Lux in concern only to wince and pull back—remembering her flinch from before. "I-I'll, um… I'll see about getting a better potion. Can you make it?"

She nodded, managing to stand a little straighter though keeping a hand wrapped around her stomach should it choose to rebel. "I-It'll kick in in a second."

He bobbed his head, not entirely reassured, but looked to Jacob. "Follow me."

The trio headed up a set of stairs and Newt jinxed a guard in front of a statue before slipping into the masked entrance. Lux was on his tail and grabbed Jacob when he took a second to giggle at the drunken guard.

"Don't stare. It only lasts a minute."

Now in the more magical side of Paris, Newt bounded to the center of the street and pulled out his wand.

"Appare vestigium."

He spun in a circle, spraying the vicinity with gold tracing magic as Lux reached into his case and pulled out the Niffler by the scruff as it hissed and stuffed a few Galleons into its pouch.

"Get looking," she said, dropping it onto the street as she reached in again and hauled out Jarvey. "Come on then."

The Jarvey grumbled but went about to search as well, while Newt stuck his wand into one of the traces.

"That's a Kappa. That's a Japanese water demon," Newt explained to the stunned Jacob and Lux eyed the image with a small smile.

"Next stop?"

Newt smiled back. "If you'd like."

There was a glimpse of Tina's back and Newt followed it before Lux whistled, nodding to the Niffler who's nose was pressed to the ground.

"What have you found?" Newt asked, bending down and licking the pavement, much to Jacob's disgust.

"And we're licking the dirt now."

"Tongues are more sensitive to magic traces," Lux explained, not bothered since she'd seen him do stranger.

"Lux, could you…?"

Lux nodded, pulling out her wand and pointing it to her nose, closing her eyes and inhaling.

"What's she doing?" Jacob asked Newt, who did much the same but with his wand pointed to his nose.

"Lux has heightened senses thanks to her Animagus. We've been working on using her attributes outside her Animagus form. She's focusing on scent at the moment," Newt explained hastily. "Anything?"

"Feline," Lux murmured, turning and walking a little before kneeling and opening her eyes. "Big. Revelio."

With a wave of her wand, pawprints on the pavement glowed golden and the afterimage of a large lion-like creature appeared.

"Newt… What made those?" Jacob murmured, eyeing it in concern.

"That is a Zouwu. It's a Chinese creature. They are incredibly fast and incredibly powerful. They can travel a thousand miles a day… This one could take you from one part of Paris to the next in a single leap."

There was a chittering and Newt turned to see the Niffler rolling about on a circle of street and Jarvey hissing at it in annoyance.

"Oh, good boys," Newt praised, earning a huff from the Jarvey as it abandoned the circle of footprints and returned to Lux's arms, getting a scratch of praise from her instead.

"Jacob, she was here. Tina stood here. She has incredibly narrow feet, have you noticed?"

"Can't say that I have," Jacob drawled as Newt turned around and saw the image of another person.

"Someone came towards her…"

"Newt, here," Lux said, moving towards what Jarvey had been protecting from the Niffler's rolling about. "A feather."

"From his hat," Newt realized, taking it from her and sniffing it before tossing it up as Lux snapped her wand at it.

"Avenseguim."

The feather flittered about, flying unnaturally in a direction.

"Follow that feather," Newt told Jacob.

"What?"

"Come on," Lux sighed, tugging Jacob along until the man walked on his own.

"Where is he?" Newt muttered, spotting his Niffler and summoning it back to the case that he scooped up to join Lux and Jacob. "Drop the bucket!"

Jacob set the bucket down and it vanished while they hurried after the fluttering feather. After a bit of following though, Jacob's stomach growled.

"Could we at least stop for a coffee or like a—"

"Not now, Jacob."

"—I don't know—"

"This way. Come on," Newt coaxed, ignoring the man's complaining.

"—pain au chocolat? Half a croissant, or like, a bonbon?"

"This way."

It was raining now, and Lux clicked her tongue at the sky. "Newt."

"I know."

"Know what?" Jacob asked.

"Rain and feathers don't really mix. We might lose the trail if we're not careful," Newt explained. "Could you?"

Lux nodded, catching the feather as it faltered in the rain and bringing it close. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent and tapping her wand to her nose—holding it there before letting the feather drop.

"We're close," she hummed, blue eyes glowing subtly as they did when she was using her Animagus abilities.

They followed her now, ducking through alleys and crossing streets before she stopped in front of a café—rain now gone. The trail had ended here and they opted to satisfy Jacob's gnawing hunger and take a seat downwind from the door. Jacob—not one to be willing to wait patiently in silence, began to talk.

"You know what I miss about Queenie? Everything," he sighed wistfully. "I even miss the stuff that drove me nuts. Like the mind-reading… I was lucky to have someone like her even interested in anything I thought. You know what I mean?"

"Sorry?" Newt questioned, having not listened to a word he said, which he suspected.

"I was saying, you sure the guy is here that we're looking for?"

"Definitely. Lux says so."

"My _nose_ says so," she argued, giving Jacob a glance. "Since New York, I've been practicing using my senses. I haven't failed yet."

Jacob wasn't sure what to think, but then someone walked out of the café, and Lux perked.

"Him."

"You're certain?" Newt asked and she nodded.

"Even with the scents of coffee and perfume, yes."

Newt didn't hesitate, stepping in front of the man with a greeting. "Uh, bonjour. Bonjour, monsieur."

The man tried to keep going, but Lux was quick to step in his way, leaning forward and inhaling deeply. The man frowned, confused and a bit disgusted, but Lux paid it no mind.

"Definitely you," she hummed as Newt hastily got between them.

"Sorry. We were… We were actually just wondering if you'd come across a friend of ours?"

"Tina Goldstein," Jacob named.

The man—Kama—eyed the trio. "Monsieur, Paris is a large city."

"She's an Auror," Newt replied, eyes serious. "When Aurors go missing, the Ministry tend to come looking, so…"

"We could just report her missing," Lux added, making Kama pause.

He knew where this was going, but they didn't seem like threats just yet.

"Is she tall? Dark? Rather…"

"Intense?" Jacob offered.

"Broody?" Lux added, missing Newt's surprised look at her less than thrilled description—possibly the first sign of Lux being jealous.

"I think I saw someone like this last night," Kama offered. "Perhaps if I showed you where?"

"If you wouldn't mind. That would be lovely," Newt smiled, a little forced. _Possibly a trap._

Lux looked less pleased by this aspect. _Definitely a trap._

* * *

We entered the darkened hideout, stepping into a cell-like area and down into a sewer. Jacob cleared his throat upon spotting Tina napping on the floor with papers. The woman jolted upright in surprise.

"Tina," Newt breathed, glad they'd found her.

"Newt."

"Expelliarmus," Kama said, taking mine and Newt's wands as I bared my teeth in a snarl.

"No!" Tina gasped, rushing for the bars that now held them captive.

"My apologies, Mr. Scamander. I shall return and release you when Credence is dead," Kama declared.

"Kama, wait," Tina tried.

"You see. Either he dies, or I do." Kama suddenly jerked, pulling off his hat and covering his eyes before collapsing.

"Well, that's not the best start to a rescue attempt," Newt said, making Tina whirl on him.

"This was a rescue attempt? You've just lost me my only lead!"

"Well, how was the investigation going before we turned up?" Newt asked, just as Pickett opened the bars and Tina shot him a dark look.

"Newt!" Jacob called cheerfully.

"Well done, Pick."

Tina rushed to the man and handed us back our wands, giving me a small smile.

"At least _you_ aren't incompetent."

I raised a brow. "I haven't even done anything but be a sniffer dog to this lump," I replied, earning an awkward smile from Newt.

"I'd like to think he wouldn't have walked down here if it weren't for you being capable of… well, you know."

I hummed, agreeing with that as Newt looked over Kama.

"You need this man, you say?"

"Yeah. I think this man knows where Credence is, Mr. Scamander."

I perked up then, catching the scent of something. "Newt."

"Hm?"

A roar echoed down to where we were, and I glanced at him as he winced.

"Well, that would be the Zouwu. Lux? It won't be easy, even for you."

I sighed, passing a hand through my hair. "Didn't expect it would be."

We hurried up to the streets and Newt stood at my side as the Zouwu rushed over, crashing into things and swinging its tail about.

"Come on, Newt, Lux. Get out of there!" Jacob said, keeping Kama with him as Newt went for his case.

"Lux, buy me time," Newt muttered and I nodded, shifting into my dragon form and placing myself firmly between Newt and the Zouwu.

It roared at me and I winced, seeing the injuries and chains wrapped around it and remembering my own past—that dreadful decade of pain caused by some greedy wizard. I was careful, not moving quickly and watching every movement of the Zouwu's carefully. _Think. Cat-like creature. Should be easy enough, despite Newt's worries._ I ducked down, eyes trained on its, unblinkingly as the end of my tail flicked—attempting to entice play. The Zouwu seemed intrigued, cautiously swinging its tail behind itself before it jumped. For a split second, fear rolled through my gut, but it simply tackled me, and we tumbled over one another for a bit. I winced as its claws lightly scratched at me, not intending to hurt, just unused to playing instead of fighting. It was the chains that hurt more.

They were enchanted, burning my scales when they brushed against me but then there was a chiming of bells and the Zouwu stopped—hovering on top of me with his head turned towards Newt. Said man was holding up a feathered cat toy of some sort and the coos of the Zouwu as it eyed the toy let me know that I'd been right in the assumption that it was really, just an oversized cat. The toy was soon dropped into Newt's case and the creature dove right for it, vanishing into its new home and allowing me to shift back with a heavy sigh of relief.

Murmurs started up then and I resisted a curse, accepting Newt's hand up just as the card Dumbledore gave him lit up. Newt and I exchanged looks, reluctant to go to the safe house but knowing we had little choice with the gathering of wizards and witches the commotion had drawn towards us. It would soon be known that Newt and a dragon were seen in Paris. Best not be around for when people realized it. Newt took my hand and rushed back for Jacob, Tina, and Kama—the four of us Apparating to safety.

* * *

_**?**_

* * *

"Riddikulus!"

I blinked at the Boggart that had shifted into a hive of bees for a student ahead of me, and again as it became a shark. _Sharks aren't even scary._ I sniffed, recovering from a cold after the dunking I'd gotten from some rotten Slytherin fifth-years who thought it funny to pick on a solitary Ravenclaw. The shark became a boat and the boat a corpse and a pumpkin, vampire, rabbit, and so on. I considered pulling out the book in my robes to read until it was my turn when Dumbledore shot me a look. _Like he knows. _He smiled at me and shifted to the line I was in, making me sigh. _He always knows._

He gave the boy at the head of the line a slight nudge forward and I eyed him. _A Hufflepuff_, my mind supplied at the sight of his yellow-edged robes. Being one of the few who hardly cared for the separation of houses, it made no difference to me who he was. He seemed… nervous though. Fidgety and shy and very soft-spoken. _Probably scared of something like cats or spiders,_ I mused, not entirely interested.

"All right, Newt. Be brave," Dumbledore encouraged him.

_And named after a lizard…_ I nearly snorted, holding myself back to keep from getting unwanted attention, as the boy walked forward. The Bogart shifted into a desk piled high with papers, and I felt my brows raise in intrigue.

"That's an unusual one," Dumbledore commented. "So, Mr. Scamander fears _what_ more than anything else in the world?"

Newt shuffled. "Having to work in an office, sir."

The class chuckled, though I hummed in thought as Dumbledore encouraged him to face his fear, and Newt shifted the Bogart into a dragon made of wood. The girl after him went and I frowned at the girl as she rushed out sobbing at the sight of a small bundle floating down.

"Lux, your turn," Dumbledore called, and I stepped forward, eyeing Newt as he simply stood to the side and wrung his hands together, only sparing me the smallest of looks.

I looked forward again, nose wrinkled in annoyance at this whole thing. _Boggarts reveal your deepest fear and doing it in front of others like this is a terrible thing to do. Giving away weaknesses to those who go out of their way to torment people._

"Go on then," Dumbledore encouraged.

I took a step forward and watched as the Boggart shifted into a familiar couple holding a child and laughing and smiling with the little boy tucked into his mother's arms.

"Lux?"

"Riddikulus," I muttered with a wave of my wand, turning them into three armadillos and walking away.

* * *

_**?**_

* * *

I groaned, feeling someone lightly patting my face and wearily blinking up at Newt as his image overlapped with another.

"Newt? What…" I started to sit up, only to hiss in pain and hold my head.

"Careful," he murmured, wand already waving bandages around my tender skull. "The Zouwu knocked you into a boulder. You've been out for a few minutes."

I nodded, regretting when I did so and eyeing him as he focused on treating my head. "I remembered something."

"Hm?"

"I _did_ see you once, at Hogwarts."

He blinked, surprised. "You did?"

"When we faced the Boggart. Dumbledore's lesson." I cracked a smile. "You were afraid of a desk job."

He flushed, sheepishly. "W-Well… I still am, I suppose. Where did this come from all of a sudden?"

"Dunno," I shrugged. "With Dumbledore being about and all this… this situation with Credence, I guess it reminded me of school."

He hummed, sitting back and eyeing me in thought. "Leta went after me. Were you…?"

"After her, yeah," I admitted, waiting to see if he remembered.

His brows furrowed as he thought before he looked up. "You had the couple. The two people with a baby that you turned into armadillos. That was…" His expression sank with understanding. "They were…"

"My parents," I mumbled. "Happy with a child that wasn't me." I pushed myself up, wincing slightly at the headache as Newt scrambled up as well. "Came true in the end. Wonder what that blasted dresser would show me now?" I looked to him with a small smile, apologizing silently for the sad topic. "Did you get the chains off the Zouwu?"

"Yes. Took some doing after you left, but she finally let me close enough."

"That's good," I murmured, rolling my shoulders at the remembrance of my own chains.

"Are you—" Newt was cut off by Jacob's shouting from outside the case.

"Hey, Newt, buddy? I've been looking for food and I ain't found any. I guess I'm gonna go upstairs and try my luck in the—I dunno—the attic?"

I gave Newt a small smile. "We best go help him before he runs into something magical and blows half the shop. What… What were you going to say?"

Newt opened his mouth, hesitated, before wincing and glancing away. "Nothing. It was nothing. Sorry."

I nodded, a frown on my face as I climbed up and out of the case with him behind me. _What is going on with him?_


	8. Chapter 8

**Welp, finished the second movie in my sudden spur of motivation. So, I guess this won't be updated again until the third movie comes out-just as a warning to those reading. Hope you enjoy! I'll try to update other stuff soon. And sorry ahead of time, but I skipped _a lot_ in this movie, mostly because it was either a) a lot of talking or b) scenes without newt in them. *shrugs* oh well.**

* * *

Newt stood awkwardly at the top of his case, glancing briefly at Lux as she headed upstairs to hunt down Jacob and leaving him alone with Tina—who'd not used his first name since they bumped into one another again.

"She's responded well to the Dittany," he said as way of conversation. "She was born to run, you see. I think she's just lacking confidence."

Tina stood up, eyes firm. "Mr. Scamander, have you got anything in your case that might revive this man? I need to question him. I think he knows who Credence really is. The scars on his hand suggest an unbreakable vow—"

"Unbreakable vow," Newt said, voice overlapping hers. "I noticed that too."

Newt climbs out and Tina holds open Kama's eye as Newt summons light and looks at it. Briefly, a tentacle appears from underneath the lid.

"What was that?" Tina gasps as Lux returns downstairs with a yawn.

"There must be a water dragon in that sewer. They carry these parasites, you see. They—Lux?"

"Hm?"

"In my case, tweezers."

"Right," she muttered, grabbing the tool for him and bringing them over. "What's this about a water dragon?"

"He has a parasite in his eye," Newt explained, hesitating before looking to Tina. "You might not want to watch this."

"I can handle it," Tina declared, passing Lux a glance as the woman frowned lightly at Newt.

"Give me the wand," Lux muttered, holding Newt's wand before he could put it in his mouth and he smiled sheepishly, handing it over before moving to grab the tentacle from the man's eye.

The thin, spindly creature was traded for the wand, and Lux pulled out her own wand to contain the parasite before it could do anyone else any harm. Kama, now free of it, began to mutter in his half-conscious state.

"I must kill him…"

"Who? Credence?" Tina was cut off from further questioning by Newt.

"It may take him a few hours to recover. The parasite's poison is quite strong."

"I'll have to go to the Ministry with what I've got," Tina said, pulling back on her coat. "It was nice to see you again, Mr. Scamander. Lux, a minute?"

"What?" Lux questioned, confused as to why Tina wanted to speak with her, but the woman gave a firm jerk of her head and she begrudgingly passed Jacob the jar with the parasite and hurried after her.

"Hey, hold on a second! Wait!" Jacob called out, looking to Newt. "You didn't mention Matagots, did you?"

"No. They just… left."

"So, you chase after them!" Jacob insisted. "That was two women who like you, Newt! They could be fighting, or worse! Tina could even convince Lux to leave!"

Newt's eyes went wide, not wanting to believe Tina would do that, but too socially awkward to consider what else the women could have rushed out to discuss. So, he grabbed his case and hurried out after them. _I can't let her leave. I __**can't.**_

* * *

"Um, Tina?" I questioned, rather confused at her quick pace as we hurried from the safe house. "What exactly is it we need to talk about? And why are we running away?"

Tina whipped around then, pulling me into an alley just off the road and frowning—hand fisted in my shirt. "Do you like him?"

I blinked, confused. "Like? Who?"

"Oh, don't play stupid now. Newt! Do you like Newt!"

"W-Well, yes, I suppose. He did save—"

"I'm not talking about liking as a friend o-or appreciating him. Lux, do you _love_ Newt?"

My chest warmed and my throat went a little tight. "I-I don't—W-What do you mean? Tina I-I really don't think this is the time to—"

"I loved him," she blurted out, stomping on the warm feeling in my heart like a bug underfoot.

"O-Oh."

"That's it?" She frowned. "I just said I _loved_ him, and your response is 'oh'?"

I shuffled on my feet, uncertain and conflicted as to what was going on and what I should be doing or saying. "I-I don't—"

She released me suddenly, taking a step back before her hand snapped out and my cheek began to sting.

"Tina!"

I blinked in confusion as Newt hurried over in shock himself, looking at me and back to her a few times.

"You have a chance to make him happy," Tina said, eyes teary. "If you throw that away, someone else is going to step in and take him."

I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, _anything_, but nothing came out and she stormed away. Newt again looked between the two of us and I swore his hand reached for my cheek before he winced and pulled it back—running off after Tina. The pit in my stomach grew, tearing into me like an angry Kneazle. I didn't quite understand what had happened, why Tina had slapped me, or what she meant. _Don't be stupid. You __**heard**__ what she said. She __**loves**__ him. She loves Newt, and he… he went after her._ I lightly touched my cheek, wincing slightly at the raw skin and reaching into my coat pocket to pull out a salve for bruises only to pause.

My hand was shaking and the memory of Newt handing me the jar with a shy look and a mutter about how often I seemed to hurt myself making the aching in my chest worse. I hadn't been rejecting the notion that I liked Newt as something more than a friend, but saying it seemed… dangerous. I'd finally gotten out of that hell hole Abraham put me in, found a purpose traveling with Newt, and learning about the creatures we helped. I'd met someone kind—kinder than I thought possible—and I met more people because of him. I'd _grown_ because of him, but he was chasing after Tina.

I grimaced when there was a crack, looking at my hand to see I'd clenched my hand around the jar tight enough to break it at the thought. I winced, dropping the shards and brushing any strays away before smearing the salve over my cheek. I wiped the excess on my coat, frustration growing the more I thought about him and Tina.

"Lux?"

I looked up, teeth bared in a snarl, and Jacob hesitated.

"Uh, where's Newt? I-I thought he went after you."

I felt that anger rising again and stormed past Jacob with a snap. "With Tina."

"R-R-Right."

* * *

Newt hurried after Tina, hoping to get some sort of clue as to what had just happened with her and Lux. He was worried about leaving Lux but knew they needed to keep Tina around if they were to truly find Credence. _And I need to have a word about why she hit Lux._

"Tina, please. Just listen to me."

"Mr. Scamander, I need to go talk to the Ministry—and I know how you feel about Aurors."

"I may have been a little strong in the way that I expressed myself in that letter—" Newt muttered.

"What was that exact phrase? 'A bunch of careerist hypocrites'?" Tina snapped.

"I'm sorry, but I can't admire people whose answer to everything that they fear or misunderstand is 'kill it'."

"I'm an Auror and I don't."

"Yes, and that's because you've gone middle head!" Newt argued, making her pause.

"Excuse me?"

"It's an expression derived from the three heads of the Runespoor. The middle one is the visionary," Newt explained, glad she'd finally stopped. "Every Auror in Europe wants Credence dead, except you. You've got the middle head."

"Who else uses that expression, Mr. Scamander?"

Newt thought for a second before looking away sheepishly. "I think it might just be me." He shook his head though. "Why did you hit Lux? Y-You know she can be a bit unstable with violence."

Tina frowned. "Why are you still treating her like another one of your creatures?"

"I-I'm not."

Tina bristled. "I let you go. I let you walk away with her at that port because I thought—" Her voice cracked for a second. "I thought you'd found someone you cared about as a _person._"

"I _do_ care about Lux," he argued, confused. "I-It may not look it, but we've gotten… closer."

"Why did you come after me then?"

Newt fell silent, knowing why he'd come but starting to feel that perhaps it was the worst choice he could have made. Tina sighed, resigned, but before she could say anything, the buildings around them were wrapped up in large black banners.

"It's Grindelwald. He's calling his followers," Tina said, Lux hurrying up to join them with choice words on the tip of her tongue barely being restrained by the chill the banners brought. "It's too late. Grindelwald's come for Credence. He might already have him."

"What do we do?" Lux asked, watching the clothes slip away.

"It's not too late," Newt argued, turning and starting to run off but being sure to grab Lux's hand. "We can still get to him first."

"Where are you going?" Tina demanded, rushing after him.

"The French Ministry of Magic."

"Newt," Lux hissed, knowing how their previous experiences with Ministries had gone.

Tina agreed. "That's the last place Credence would go!"

"There's a box hidden at the Ministry safe. It's a box that can tell us who Credence really is."

"A box? What are you talking about?"

Lux shot him a look, squeezing his hand tighter in hers. "Wouldn't Grindelwald have taken it already if that's all it would take to sway Credence to his side?"

"It wouldn't be easy."

"It's _Grindelwald_," she grumbled, and he glanced back at her.

"Trust me."

The brief hesitation made his heart sink, but eventually, she nodded.

* * *

"I don't like this," Tina hissed under her breath—Newt having used a Polyjuice potion to change into his brother while I had transfigured into a Jarvey tucked just under his coat collar.

"Lux and I are being tracked. We couldn't just walk in as ourselves." Newt looked up then, catching eyes with his brother up above and picking up his pace. "I don't suppose you can Disapparate on Ministry premises in France, can you?"

"No," Tina informed as his Polyjuice wore off.

"Pity. Lux." He pulled me off his shoulder and used his wand to shift me back, making me shake my head clear as I accepted my wand in return.

"Newt."

"I know. I know there's—" An alarm sounded, his and my face on a poster nearby alerting that they'd entered the Department of Magic just as Theseus rounded the corner.

"Newt!"

"That's your brother?" Tina questioned as we started running.

"Yes. I think I may have mentioned in my letters we have quite a complicated relationship."

"Newt, stop!"

"Does he want to kill you?"

"Quite frequently."

I frowned when Theseus threw a curse our way, snapping my wand out and easily blocking it—holding the contents of the mailcarts above us easily. "Shouldn't have done that. I got O's in dueling at Hogwarts." My wand snapped and Theseus was sent flying back into a chair—wrists bound as he rolled away. Another flick sent the mailcart contents back to their place.

Newt grinned, looking to me and suddenly kissing my cheek. "Best moment of my life."

Heat traveled up my face as he turned and hurried out, pausing me for a moment to look at an equally stunned Tina. I opened my mouth to say something, but she shook her head and turned away. We entered the next room then, where a woman in grey loomed over us with a smile.

"Puis-je vous aider?"

"Yes, this is Leta Lestrange. And, uh, I'm her…"

"Cousin," Tina said, surprising him as she gestured to me. "And his fiancée."

_What is she doing?_ I mentally wondered, both our faces a nice shade of pink as the woman gestured for us to go on.

"Allez-y."

"Tina, about that fiancée business—"

"Sorry, yeah. I should have congratulated you," she said, giving us both looks.

The only thought in my head was when he'd kissed my cheek earlier and the bright grin on his face, but it was also overshadowed by him leaving me to run after Tina and the very fact that we were here just for her.

The doors closed behind us once we stepped into the records room, plunging us into darkness until Tina and I lit up our wands. Shelves stretched in long hallways intricately carved and full of parchments.

"Lestrange," Tina called out, hoping to be led in the right direction, but nothing happened, so we started walking.

"A-About Leta—"

"Yes, I've just said, I am happy for you—" Tina snapped, reminding me of the magazine article but also of how close they were back at the Ministry in Britain.

"Yeah, well, don't," Newt said seriously, earning a frown as she stopped.

"What?"

"Please don't be happy." Newt winced, realizing how that sounded and dropping his wand. "Uh, no, no. I'm sorry. I don't… Uh, obviously, I want you to be. And I hear that you are now. Uh, which is wonderful. Sorry. What I'm trying to say is, I want you to be happy, but don't be happy that I'm happy, because I'm not… Happy… or engaged."

"What?"

"It was a mistake in a stupid magazine. My brother's marrying Leta, June the sixth. I'm supposed to be best man, which is sort of mildly hilarious."

"Does he think you're here to win her back?" Tina asked then, sending my stomach into a twist of knots once more as I shuffled away to look for the box we needed. "_Are_ you here to win her back?"

"No!" Newt said, rather loudly, making me pause as I could feel his eyes on my back. "I'm here to…"

I clenched my eyes shut, hating the hesitation and finally speaking for him. "He's here to get you safe."

"No. I-I mean, y-yes," Newt fumbled. "B-B-But as a friend!"

"Yeah, right," I murmured under my breath, hand tightening on my wand briefly as I realized what the feeling in my stomach was.

Doubt.

Newt stepped over to me, setting down his case and reaching for me, hesitating for only a second before touching my wrist. I flinched but instead of retreating, he held tighter before tugging me forward to him in a hug. I was stiff, unused to hugging _anyone_ and he was much the same, though still trying to comfort me.

"I'm sorry if I may have… If I've said something wrong or done something to upset you," he murmured in my ear, tightening his hold for a moment. "I just… don't want you to leave me."

Hope swelled within me, seeing that he'd been able to put a name to what I'd been feeling. Why I hadn't attempted to take a step forward with him or even said anything about what I felt. I'd been afraid things would change and if things changed, then _we_ would change. I thought I'd be left alone again, and he was reassuring me he wouldn't. That he _wanted_ things to change but in a way that would bring us closer, not farther apart. He pulled back, eyeing me seriously with his hands on my upper arms.

"I swear, the only person I care about more than a friend is…" he chewed his lip for a second. "…is you, Lux."

I tried to find something to say, words choosing that inopportune moment to fail me. "I-I, um… I-I think…" I closed my eyes for a moment before finally meeting his. "Me too," I murmured, earning one of his grins in return before he brushed hair from my face.

"Your eyes…"

I blinked, confused, and suddenly feeling a bit sheepish. "What?"

"It's just… I-I shouldn't say, but… when you're using your Animagus your eyes turn this sort of glowing shade of blue. A bright, vibrant shade like sun off water that…" He paused, chewing on his words for a second. "I've only ever seen that in—"

"Matagots?" I murmured, the spiritual cats being the first creature that came to mind, and Newt seemed rather dumbfounded that I'd known.

Tina though, cleared her throat—reminding us she was there.

"While it's about time you two finally figured it out, we should probably hurry this along before the Ministry finds your brother tied up in the other room."

"R-Right," Newt muttered, hands dropping from my arms but leaving a feeling of warmth behind.

A door banged open then and we all jerked, rushing off into the shelves just as they moved and shifted until we grabbed hold of one and clung to the back of it. A voice drifted to us from the person on the other side who'd summoned the shelf—Leta herself.

"'Records moved to Lestrange family tomb at Père Lachaise.'"

There was a beat of silence then before she said a spell.

"Circumrota."

The shelves turned and I shot Newt a concerned glance, but he didn't run off. There was no danger quite yet.

"Hello, Newt," Leta greeted and Newt smiled sheepishly.

"Hello, Leta."

"Hi," Tina offered as well, though I simply eyed the Lestrange woman before seeing movement behind her.

The woman who'd let us in stepped forward with growling black cats at her side.

"Speaking of Matagots," I breathed.

"Matagots?" Tina questioned and Newt explained with a hint of concern.

"They're spirit familiars. They guard the Ministry—but they won't hurt you unless you—"

"Stupify!" Leta called out and her spell failed, causing the cats to multiply instead and growl as Newt finished.

"Unless you attack them."

"Oops," Leta breathed.

"Lux!"

"On it," I growled, shifting into my dragon form and grabbing Leta as she yelped.

The Matagots clung to me as Newt shifted the shelves away, but I easily flung them off.

"Everyone on! Newt!"

"Got it!" He called out as Tina and Leta clambered onto my back and I slipped through the shelves with some difficulty—what with my size.

We got between four shelves, blocking off the cats, but the shelves began to lower, and Newt looked to me.

"I'll leave her to you."

I nodded as we all slipped into the case, myself knowing exactly who could help in this situation.

* * *

The Matagots circled the case that was left once all the shelves went down, growling and snarling until it opened, and the white dragon returned with a Zouwu. Both roared, throwing the Matagots around and protecting Newt—who summoned the case and clung to Lux's back. More rushed in through the doors and Lux snapped at them, breathing fire to block off the doors as best she could, but the Matagots were quick and their claws sharp. A couple tore at her wings and the Zouwu yanked them off before Newt waved his wand.

"Ascendio!"

The shelves rose up like before, tipping and falling under the Zouwu's weight as Lux took to the air and allowed the animal to jump up and cling to her so it could reach the balcony. The Matagots gave chase and Lux tossed Newt to the Zouwu as it roared and grew more frantic.

"Lux!" he called out, worried she wouldn't make it, but she shifted back and he grabbed her arm just in time, pulling her onto its back just as it passed through a vortex.

The Matagots it dragged with it were shifted into small black cats—harmless in the real world—and Newt slipped off the Zouwu's back, offering a hand to Lux. Once down, he opened his case only for the creature to nudge him playfully.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay, wait. Lux? Bit of help?" He asked, leaning on the Zouwu to show his own affection, and Lux sighed with a fond smile.

"Yes, all right." She took his place, giving him time to search through his pockets as Tina and Leta came out of the case.

Lux wrestled with the Zouwu, earning pleased purrs and snorts from the creature even without her being a dragon, and Tina approached, pulling out a familiar toy. The Zouwu perked up and Lux let out a sigh of relief, pinned under the Zouwu's paw as Newt offered a sheepish smile.

"Must've left it in the case then. Not the pockets. Sorry, Lux."

"You're lucky I'm durable," she grunted out, letting out a puff of air when the Zouwu pushed off her and dove after the toy Tina dropped back into the case. "M-Merlin, she's heavy."

"Are you okay?" Newt asked, offering her a hand up that she gratefully too.

"I'm all right."

"You're bleeding," he pointed out, making her turn to try and look over her shoulders where her coat was torn.

"Damn Matagots. Though the damage to my wings wasn't too bad, it was enough."

"Are you all right?" Tina asked and Newt nodded as Lux removed her coat and waved her wand over it to repair the damages.

"She'll be all right. They're not too deep."

Lux tensed when his fingers brushed her back, but he was quick to use his wand and heal them a bit, muttering an apology under his breath that she waved off. "We need to go after Leta."

They hurried deeper into the crypt they ended up at, following the voices to find Kama, Jacob, Credence, and another woman—Nagini—with wands aimed in various directions.

"Is that really you? My little sister?" Kama breathed, stunned by Leta's appearance.

"So, he's your brother," Credence murmured, a bit frustrated. "Who am I?"

"I don't know," Leta said apologetically, and Credence pushed past her to Kama.

"I'm tired of living with no name and no history. Just tell me my story—then you can end it."

"Your story is our story," Kama explained, and he went on to tell about how the head of the Lestrange house forced a child upon their mother and had Leta and him, only to remarry and have Credence. "All he cared about was little Corvus."

"So… this is the truth? I am Corvus Lestrange?"

Kama said, "Yes," but Leta said, "No."

Kama frowned. "Realizing that Mustafa Kama's son had sworn revenge, your father sought to hide you where I couldn't find you. So he confided you to his servant who boarded a ship for America."

"He did send Corvus to America, but…" Leta winced, convinced she'd been the one to kill Corvus while Kama was convinced otherwise, speaking a prophecy.

"'A son cruelly banished Despair of the daughter Return, great avenger With wings from the water.' There stands the despairing daughter," Kama declared, pointing to Leta. "You are the winged raven returned from the sea, but I—I am the avenger of my family's ruin." Kama lifted his wand at Credence. "I pity you, Corvus, but you must die."

Leta raised her wand as well. "Corvus Lestrange is already dead. I killed him. Accio!"

A box fell to the ground and Leta undid the latches before opening it to reveal a tree.

"My father owned a very strange family tree. It only recorded the men," she said, kneeling down to it. "The women in my family were recorded as flowers. Beautiful. Separate. My father sent me to America, along with Corvus. Corvus never stopped crying. I never wanted to hurt him. I only wanted to be free of him. Just for a moment… Just a single moment so I switched him with another baby just before the ship was to sink. Their boat capsized."

The branch for Corvus Lestrange on the family tree blackened, flower, and leaves falling off.

"You didn't mean to do it, Leta," Newt breathed softly, and even Lux was silent. "So, it wasn't your fault."

"Oh, Newt. You never met a monster you couldn't love," Leta argued before Tina hesitantly spoke up.

"Leta, do you know who Credence really is? Did you know when you swapped them?"

"No."

Credence looked defeated and Lux shifted forward, reaching for him, but hesitating a little bit away when his eyes lifted to hers.

"Could you… Could you look up the passengers on the ship? Records…? Anything?"

His eyes turned to the ground solemnly, hope fading, before some stones moved aside to reveal a passageway underground. Jacob was the first to head down, hoping to find Queenie, and the others followed to find an arena _full_ of people, waiting for the main event.

* * *

I stepped into the crowd with Newt and Tina—the others having split up and gone separate ways. I was tense though, tasting slimy magic of those around us and unable to help the growing nervousness at being in such a place.

"Newt," I muttered, voice not higher than a whisper.

He looked to me, seeing and sensing my unease and took my hand. "Just… try to stay calm," he murmured, attempting to help and doing his best to undoubtedly hoping to keep me from changing here with all these dangerous witches and wizards who would _love_ to have a piece of me if they knew what I was.

"It's a trap," Tina breathed, drawing our attention to her.

"Yeah," Newt answered. "Queenie, the family tree. It's all been bait."

"Newt," I said, looking around. "They're blocking the exits."

"We have to find a way out of here, right now," Tina agreed.

"You go find the others," Newt said, looking to her.

"What about you two?"

"I'll think of something." He paused; eyes serious. "And Lux will be our very last option. The _very_ last."

He pulled me along, leaving Tina to search for the others I the crowd, just as the lights dimmed and the audience began to cheer. Grindelwald stepped onto the stage as we found a place to stand amongst the crowd. I hated every second of it. There were too many people, too close. Each one dangerous and threatening, willing to draw their wands at the tip of a hat. The only thing keeping me grounded was Newt's thumb rubbing back and forth on the back of my hand in his grasp.

"My brothers, my sisters, my friends: the great gift of your applause is not for me," Grindelwald started, voice silencing everyone and drawing them in. "No. It is for yourselves. You came today because of a craving and a knowledge that the old ways serve us no longer . . . You come today because you crave something new, something different. It is said that I hate Les Non-Magiques. The Muggles. The No-Maj. The Can't-Spells."

The crowd hissed and grumbled at the names, and I felt worry grow for poor Jacob out in the crowd somewhere.

"I do not hate them. I do not," Grindelwald continued. "For I do not fight out of hatred. I say the Muggles are not lesser, but other. Not worthless, but of other value. Not disposable, but of a different disposition." He eyed the crowd. "Magic blooms only in rare souls. It is granted to those who live for higher things. Oh, and what a world we could make, for all of humanity. We who live for freedom, for truth, and for love."

I shifted uneasily, hating how his words seemed to hover in the air like a tantalizing sweet above a young child. I couldn't hate the Muggles—not even my parents, who'd shunned me for being able to do magic. I didn't like his propositions though. Yes, he didn't hate them, but I feared this "different disposition" he spoke of was nothing more than what I'd gone through those years chained up and auctioned off by Abraham's hands.

"The moment has come to share my vision of the future that awaits if we do not rise up and take our rightful place in the world."

A woman stepped out onto the stage, offering him a skull of smoke that he inhales and breathed out, showing war and cities falling, crumbling like dust and a great explosion leaving devastation in its wake.

"Another war," I murmured, remembering the devastation from the last even though I had been forced not to partake due to my circumstances. _And even then, they considered renting me out as a dragon to fight._

"_That_!" Grindelwald said loudly, drawing attention back to him. "Is what we are fighting! That is the enemy. Their arrogance, their power lust, their barbarity. How long will it take before they turn their weapons on us? Do nothing when I speak of this. You must remain calm and contain your emotions."

I caught the shadows stepping into the room then, seeing Theseus as well and I nudged Newt just as Grindelwald announced their presence.

"There are Aurors here among us," he said, making the crowd anxious, though he remained calm. "Come closer, brother wizards. Join us."

Aurors stepped down the stairs, some shifting away when they drew close as Grindelwald went on.

"They have killed many of my followers, it is true. They caught and tortured me in New York. They had struck down their fellow witches and wizards for the simple crime of seeking truth, for wanting freedom."

"He's egging them on," I breathed, watching the witches and wizards twitch their hands towards their wands. "Drawing out those with the most fear so they snap and kill someone. Then…" Understanding dawned on me. "He'll make sure he's the one who appears in the right. He's using words, suggestions to fool people."

"Your anger—your desire for revenge—is natural. And it happens," Grindelwald said, and a red-headed witch finally lifted her wand, only for an Auror to kill her and run away for fear of retribution.

"No!" Grindelwald stepped into the crowd as they screamed in shock, speaking to her cohorts as he brushed her hair away. "Take this young warrior back to her family." He stepped back onto the steps then, addressing all. "Disapparate. Leave. Go forth from this place and spread the word: It is not we who are violent."

The crowd begins to do so, a majority leaving and the Aurors began to move in carefully. Few were left. I spotted Jacob and Queenie, the Aurors, Grindelwald's closest followers, Tina, Credence, and his companion, and Leta being the only ones. Grindelwald created a ring of blue flames around him, preventing the Aurors from coming too near. His followers stepped through the flames unharmed, Disapperating upon reaching the center. One man though, burned in his attempt to join.

"Aurors, join me in this circle, pledge to me your eternal allegiance, or die. Only here shall you know freedom, only here shall you know yourself."

Aurors tried to flee, but the flames shot up the arena, sending them to their deaths.

"Play by the rules! No cheating, children."

I saw Credence being pulled at, but his gaze was firmly locked on Grindelwald. "He knows," I muttered, drawing Newt's attention to the duo. "Credence will be his because Grindelwald knows who he is. Or is very good at pretending he does."

"Credence!" Newt called, hoping to stop him and rushing forward, but the fire rushed towards him as well and I cursed.

Shifting, I moved between him and the flames, using flames of my own to hold them back. I grimaced as they seemed to burn hotter and move faster, abandoning my fire to grab Newt and retreat slightly as the flames died out. Credence made it into the ring, and I growled low in my throat, bringing my head lower to Newt.

"I can't fight those flames, Newt. I'm not protected against them like normal flames. We can't save Credence or those who choose to follow him. Forcing them will only make it worse. We need to be focused on _leaving_."

I couldn't tell if he was listening though, his gaze fixated on Credence and Grindelwald, who held the man close. There was a scream then, and I turned to watch Queenie step through the flames as well, not even singed. Grindelwald sent more flames towards us and the Aurors, and I grabbed Newt by the back of his coat, hauling him to where his brother stood—knowing that despite their differences, they would want the other to make it out of this alive. Aurors died trying to run, trying to Disapparate. Watching them die made some Aurors choose Grindelwald as well before said man addressed us.

"Mr. Scamander!" He called out. "Do you think Dumbledore will mourn for you?"

Fire flew towards them and I roared, jumping in between and doing what I could against the flames.

"Ah, the ever-annoying dragon Animagus. Quite the pain in my side, you are, Miss Delaney. I had hoped my words were to reach you somehow, though your fierce loyalty never seems to sway from your savor, Mr. Scamander. You've rather shown your hand there, my dear. If you die, it'll be a waste, but it will certainly make killing your companion far easier."

The fire came again, and I cringed, taking a step back at the force behind it as Grindelwald smirked. I hadn't seen the flames coming from my right side until it was too late. I turned as the fire flashed across my face, making me cry out in pain. I didn't move though, knowing I was physically shielding Newt and his brother and being grateful when Leta called out to Grindelwald—stopping the torrent. I cringed back, blinking my eyes fiercely with an effort to see past the pain stretched across my face and vision. I heard Theseus whisper Leta's name, feel him moving out from under me and mentally keeping note as to where he was and where Newt was for when we needed to escape.

"This one, I believe I know," Grindelwald murmured, and I heard the hiss of flames once more, growling as I shifted slightly away from Newt to grab Theseus—who struggled in my grip to try and fight the flames and reach Leta.

"Let go! Leta!"

"Leta Lestrange . . . despised entirely amongst wizards . . . unloved, mistreated . . . yet brave. So very brave," Grindelwald said, sounding closer and out of the circle of fire, but when I tried to move towards him, fire moved to block my path—flaring across my arm that I used to block myself.

"Time to come home."

"I love you," I heard Leta say before I heard her fire off spells and something fell to the ground making the arena burn bright, even with my damaged eyes. "Go! Go!"

Theseus fought once more, but I could feel the fire licking at my exposed body, and I knew there was no chance to save her. I pushed off the ground and broke through the roof of the arena, ignoring the pain it brought me as the fire followed with its own roar. I grimaced as Newt held tight to my neck and I flew over the area, spitting fire at the flames Grindelwald shaped into a dragon and listening for signs of the others who may have escaped.

"Lux! Down on the right!" Newt called and I grimaced, but turned, diving to the right and reaching out.

Tina pressed Jacob into my hand and climbed up my arm onto my back with Newt. Another burst of fire came out and I cringed, feeling my left wing get charred and sending me off course before I could shoot flames behind me at the beast.

"Careful!" Newt shouted. "On the left! Kama and another!"

I cringed at twisting myself that direction but managed to land near them as Newt and Tina pulled the two on as well.

"Is that—"

"Lux! Down at one o'clock! Land!"

I growled my protests, still feeling the heat and not wanting to land when I should be flying the group as far away as I could.

"Please! Trust me!"

_Damn him._ I did as he said, landing and feeling everyone get off as an older voice spoke and I sagged.

"Together! In a circle, your wand into the earth or all Paris will be destroyed.!" He demanded, and I whipped around, taking to the air and preventing the flames from getting close once more, but feeling my body giving out.

"Finite!" I heard those I'd saved beginning to shout, feeling their energy fill the air and soaring out of the circle to safety as the group worked together to destroy what was left of the blue flames—pulling them back down into the earth and sealing them away.

I lowered myself back to the ground, touching down and immediately sagging near Newt, head bowed, and breathing heavily. I struggled to pry my eyes open, to ensure he was all right as a small whine of pain escaped my lips.

"Oh, Lux," he murmured, and I felt his hand lightly touch the end of my nose—even then, still sending the smallest ripple of pain through my face.

I felt a hint of his magic, cooling the raw burns as best he could.

"'m sorry," I said softly, knowing there were so many lost and I could have helped even one more.

"No. Don't be, Lux. Not you. You worked far harder than anyone."

Newt went quiet then and I heard him moved towards his brother, comforting him as they mourned over Leta.

"I've chosen my side," Newt informed him before there was a shuffle and I turned, reaching out and bringing up the Niffler who'd escaped in the conflict, limping and burnt. "Come here," Newt murmured, taking him from me carefully. "I've got you."

There was a chime then and I leaned in, attempting to open my eyes and see what the Niffler had taken. I only caught a glance of silver, but Newt explained.

"It's Grindelwald's vial."

"It's important then?"

"Let us hope so."

"Uh… Lux, was it?"

I turned my head towards Theseus, exhausted.

"I…" He paused. "Thank you," he finally said, voice soft. "For… For keeping my brother safe and… and myself, despite… everything."

"I owe him everything," I murmured, shifting and nudging Newt with my head. "I'm not about to let go of him now."

* * *

The survivors stood on the bridge leading to Hogwarts as Dumbledore strode forward, but Newt was the one who made to approach, pausing only to turn to Lux and hold out his hand. Lux accepted it with a hint of a smile, lip twisted and marred by a red burn that ran across her face. Theseus prevented Traver's from going with them, and the two soon stood before Dumbledore at the other end, gazes serious.

"Is it true? About Leta?" Dumbledore asked and Newt nodded.

"Yes."

"I'm so sorry." His gaze shifted to Lux whose blue eyes refused to look anywhere but his own, as though challenging him to say something about her own injuries from that night. "I always thought you should have been a Gryffindor."

Lux snorted, shaking her head at his light tease and Newt then pulled out the vial, much to Dumbledore's surprise.

"It's a blood pact, isn't it? You swore not to fight each other."

Dumbledore nodded solemnly, then, taking the vial. "How in the name of Merlin did you manage to get—"

Newt opened his coat a bit for his Niffler to poke its head out, earning a chuckle from the man.

"Grindelwald doesn't seem to understand the nature of things he considers simple," Newt smiled.

Dumbledore lifted his hands and Theseus removed the monitoring bands on his wrists, leaving the vial to hover between the trio.

"Can you destroy it?" Lux asked, eyeing the small silver vial that had prevented the best player in this war from stepping in.

"Maybe… Maybe." Dumbledore took it once more and then looked to the Niffler. "Would he like a cup of tea?"

"He'll have some milk," Newt accepted as the group turned to head in with the others following. "Hide the teaspoons."

"And you, Lux?" Dumbledore eyed her, polite enough to not stare at the scarring on her face and offering just a simple smile. "Perhaps something heavier." He nodded to the chain around her neck where a silver ring hung against her chest. "As congratulations."

Lux snorted. "Only if you can convince Newt to go to Asia next."

Newt rolled his eyes fondly as Dumbledore chuckled.

"Deal."


End file.
